Abstract
The present study is focused on the preparation of chitosan (CS)/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) blend and semi-interpenetrating polymer network (sIPN). Blend CS/PAN hydrogel films (HFs) were prepared by solution blending and casting technique. CS in the blend was crosslinked with epichlorohydrin (ECH) to prepare sIPN. The developed CS/PAN blend and sIPN hydrogels were characterized with Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermagravimetric analysis (TGA), and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). The result showed good miscibility between CS and PAN and crosslinking of CS in the blend. The swelling of the different blended and sIPN hydrogels samples were examined at room temperature (T-r). Blend (C80/P20) sample showed highest swelling (similar to 2400%) and fair degree of stability (similar to 28% until 96 h), whereas sIPN hydrogel exhibited relatively low degree of swelling (similar to 244%) and high degree of aqueous (similar to 85 % until 96 h), and thermal (onset temperature 304 degrees C) stabilities