Thermophysical Study of Chitosan-Starch-Glutaric Acid Film in Acetic Acid-Water Mixtures

This study focuses on the synthesis of crosslinked films using chitosan and starch, with glutaric acid serving as the crosslinking agent. The concentrations of chitosan and starch varied simultaneously, ranging from 0.1/0.9 to 0.9/0.1, while the crosslinking concentration of glutaric acid was fixed at 1%. The crosslinked films were characterized using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). These blended films are suitable for controlled drug delivery and mass transport processes, as both polymers are biodegradable. The DSC and TGA thermograms reveal that pure starch and pure chitosan, as well as blended chitosan/starch films, exhibit lower stability compared to the crosslinked blended films, which demonstrate greater stability. Additionally, the analysis indicates that the crosslinked blends are miscible and have intermediate thermal degradation properties. Overall, the results from the DSC and TGA analyses suggest that the crosslinked blended films exhibit improved thermal stability, particularly with higher compositions in ascending order. Thermal analysis provides valuable insights into the stability of these films, making them ideal for applications in controlled drug delivery and the removal of heavy metals.