Natural Polymers, Polysaccharide, & intro to Hydrogels Flashcards
What are the 4 characteristics of natural polymers?
- environmentally friendly
- emit low greenhouse gas
- low cytotoxicity
- biocompatible
What are the 6 sources for natural polymers?
- plants
- crustaceans
- animals
- humans
- microbials
- fungi
Where do polysaccharides mainly come from?
plants
What are polysaccharides?
long polymer chains composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages
What is glucose and where does it come from?
simple sugar and comes from plants and algae
What is starch composed of?
30% amylose-linear and 70% amylopectin-branched
What are the 2 properties of starch?
- insoluble in COLD water
- hygroscopic - absorbs moisture from air
hygroscopic
absorbs moisture from air
What are the 4 applications with starch?
- bone replacement implants
- bone cements
- drug delivery
- tissue scaffolds
What sea animals results in abundant crustacean waste materials?
- lobsters
- crabs
- shrimps
What does chitin come from?
the processed shells and heads of crustaceans
What is chitin?
most important component of crustacean and insect exoskeletons or the cell walls of some bacteria and fungi (ex. mushrooms).
1. exoskeletons of crustacean and insects
2. cell walls of some bacteria and fungi
Chitin is a __________________ structure
highly crystalline structure
What are the 3 properties of the chitin structure?
- strong
- rigid
- linear
Chitin is soluble in concentrated ________________
acidic solvents
ex.
1. H3PO4
2. HCl
3. H2SO4
4. amide/LiCl
Chitin has trouble dissolving in common _____________
common organic solvents
ex.
1. DMSO
2. DMF
3. DCM
4. NMP
What is the disadvantage of chitin being insoluble in common solvents?
causes difficulty with processing
Chitosan is derived from?
Chitin
What groups in chitosan chains facilitate chemical modification?
amino and hydroxyl groups