Light weight and mechanically strong α-chitin aerogels were fabricated using the sol-gel/self-assembly method from α-chitin in different aqueous alkali hydroxide(KOH, Na OH and Li OH)/urea solutions. All of the α-c...Light weight and mechanically strong α-chitin aerogels were fabricated using the sol-gel/self-assembly method from α-chitin in different aqueous alkali hydroxide(KOH, Na OH and Li OH)/urea solutions. All of the α-chitin solutions exhibited temperature-induced rapid gelation behavior. 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectra revealed that the aqueous alkali hydroxide/urea solutions are non-derivatizing solvents for α-chitin. Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR), X-ray diffraction(XRD) and cross-polarization magic angle spinning(CP/MAS) 13 C NMR confirmed that α-chitin has a stable aggregate structure after undergoing dissolution and regeneration. Subsequently, nanostructured α-chitin aerogels were fabricated by regeneration from the chitin solutions in ethanol and then freeze-drying from t-Bu OH. These α-chitin aerogels exhibited high porosity(87% to 94%), low density(0.09 to 0.19 g/cm^3), high specific surface area(419 to 535 m^2/g) and large pore volume(2.7 to 3.8 cm^3/g). Moreover, the α-chitin aerogels exhibited good mechanical properties under compression and tension models. In vitro studies showed that m BMSCs cultured on chitin hydrogels have good biocompatibility. These nanostructured α-chitin aerogels may be useful for various applications, such as catalyst supports, carbon aerogel precursors and biomedical materials.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21422405, 51373125)the Major Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (21334005)+1 种基金the facility support of the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Provincethe Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
文摘Light weight and mechanically strong α-chitin aerogels were fabricated using the sol-gel/self-assembly method from α-chitin in different aqueous alkali hydroxide(KOH, Na OH and Li OH)/urea solutions. All of the α-chitin solutions exhibited temperature-induced rapid gelation behavior. 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectra revealed that the aqueous alkali hydroxide/urea solutions are non-derivatizing solvents for α-chitin. Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR), X-ray diffraction(XRD) and cross-polarization magic angle spinning(CP/MAS) 13 C NMR confirmed that α-chitin has a stable aggregate structure after undergoing dissolution and regeneration. Subsequently, nanostructured α-chitin aerogels were fabricated by regeneration from the chitin solutions in ethanol and then freeze-drying from t-Bu OH. These α-chitin aerogels exhibited high porosity(87% to 94%), low density(0.09 to 0.19 g/cm^3), high specific surface area(419 to 535 m^2/g) and large pore volume(2.7 to 3.8 cm^3/g). Moreover, the α-chitin aerogels exhibited good mechanical properties under compression and tension models. In vitro studies showed that m BMSCs cultured on chitin hydrogels have good biocompatibility. These nanostructured α-chitin aerogels may be useful for various applications, such as catalyst supports, carbon aerogel precursors and biomedical materials.
