Films and gels with high mechanical strength prepared from polysaccharide derivatives by chemical cross-linking

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26850108
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Wood science
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (2016); The University of Tokyo (2014-2015)
• Principal Investigator: Enomoto-Rogers Yukiko 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 構造材料研究部門, 主任研究員 (90726530)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: ヘミセルロース / キシラン / グルコマンナン / カードラン / 架橋 / ゲル

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Chemical crosslinking of various polysaccharides including xylan, glucomannan, and curdlan were investigated in order to improve mechanical strength of polysaccharide materials. Soft, tough and flexible curdlan hydrogels were obtained after covalent cross-linking of curdlan (CD) using ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether as a cross-linker. CD hydrogels were highly tough and did not fracture under compression to 90% strain. CD hydrogel could recover the original shape and elastic modulus after 90% compression, indicating its high flexibility. Subsequently, hydroxyl groups of CD hydrogels were acetylated in acetic anhydride and pyridine system to give hydrophobic property, and novel CD organogels were obtained. CD organogels were swollen in chloroform and resistant to repeated drying and swelling treatment in chloroform. This study demonstrated the possibility of CD gel for novel soft and tough material derived from nature.

Free Research Field

多糖化学、高分子材料学