Study on the mechanisms of crosslinking of natural polymer by ionizing radiation

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25871093
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Nuclear engineering; Green/Environmental chemistry
• Research Institution: Japan Atomic Energy Agency
• Principal Investigator: KIMURA Atsushi 国立研究開発法人日本原子力研究開発機構, 原子力科学研究部門 量子ビーム応用研究センター, 研究員 (60465979)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: イオン液体 / 天然高分子 / 放射線 / セルロース / キチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Natural polymers have been widely modified by use of chemical treatments such as their derivatives, or by using crosslinking reagents because they have poor solubility in water and organic solvents as well as low chemical reactivity. We produced natural polymer gels without any crosslinking reagent by ionizing radiation from neat cellulose in room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) under humid conditions for the first time. Reactive species inducing the crosslinking of cellulose in the RTILs and molecular structure of the crosslinking point were investigated by the scavenging method and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.The chitin gel was also obtained in the RTILs by ionizing radiation.

Free Research Field

放射線化学