Development of Chitin-Glucan Polymeric Structures Using Biocompatible Ionic Liquids

The objective for this master thesis was the production and characterization of polymeric structures obtained by dissolving the chitin-glucan complex, a co-polymer present in the cell walls of fungi and yeasts, through four biocompatible choline based ionic liquids, where it was varied the alkyl chain. The ionic liquids selected for this study showed a typical Newtonian fluid behavior, which were characterized with regard to their water content, density and viscosity. Two chitin-glucan complex from different sources were compared. A commercial product by Kitozyme company was used, KiOnutrime-CG, produced by the fungus Aspergillus niger. On the other hand, it was produced in a research group, BIOENG, a chitin-glucan complex extracted from the yeast cell wall, Komagataella pastoris. Both polymers were characterized according to its sugar composition and thermal properties. After dissolution of these polymers in various ionic liquids, the mixtures were subdued to the phase inversion method, which aims to remove the amount of ionic liquid present in the polymeric structure. Thus, films were obtained from both commercial and laboratorial polymer, and also a gel based in laboratorial polymer. The films were characterized with regard to its sugar composition, thermal properties, morphology by SEM, contact angles, swelling, gas permeability, mechanical and adhesiveness properties. The hydrogel produced was place in environments at different water activities, which followed a characterization relative to their sugar content, thermal properties, morphology by SEM, rheological and adhesiveness properties