Alkylated-Chitosan Nanowhisker for the Mechanical Reinforcement of Isosorbide-based Polycarbonate Composites
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Chitosan is a derivative of chitin, the second most abundant polymer on earth after cellulose that can be obtained through deacetylation. Its biodegradability is an important factor to be considered for environmental sustainability. The main drawback of chitosan is the incompatibility with hydrophobic polymers. This incompatibility occurs due to the repulsion between chitosan polar functionalities and hydrophobic polymer matrices which might result in poor interaction between them. Therefore, we modified the surface of chitosan nanowhisker by alkylation with fatty acids. The introduction of a long alkyl chain could improve its hydrophobic properties and solubility in organic solvents. After that, we prepared composite films with Isosorbide-based polycarbonate as a matrix which is a bio-based polymer derived from renewable sources. Based on our experiments, it can be concluded that alkylated-chitosan nanowhisker might be a candidate for future sustainable materials for polymer composites.