Synthesis and characteristics of chemically modified chitosan membranes with sulfuric acid

Chemically modified chitosan membranes were obtained by treatment of chitosan membranes with sulfuric acid. The effect of chemical modification conditions on molecular and supcrmolecular structure and some physicochemical properties of synthesized membranes were studied using FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction method, SEM and elemental analysis. FTIR spectra of unmodified and modified chitosan membranes were compared and conclusions concerning the formation of ionic crosslinks between protonated amine groups of chitosan and sulfate anions were drawn out. X-ray analysis indicates that strong interactions between chitosan -NH3~ groups and SO42' ions influence chitosan membrane crystallinity.