Studies on the miscibility of chitosan/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blend in solution by viscometry, ultrasonic velocity, density and refractometry techniques at 30, 40, and 50°c

Polymer blends of chitosan (CHI) with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) have been prepared by solution blending, and their miscibility studies were carried out by using physical techniques over an extended range of concentration and composition in buffer solution. The viscosity, ultrasonic velocity, density, and refractive index were measured at 30, 40, and 50°C, respectively. Using viscosity data, the interaction parameter μ and α were computed to probe the miscibility. These values revealed that the blend is miscible when the chitosan content is more than 60% in the blend at all temperatures. The obtained results were further confirmed by the ultrasonic velocity, density, and refractive index measurements