About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Biosustainable Materials for a Circular Economy
|
| Presentation Title |
Exploring chitosan-based thin films: biodegradation, solvent selection, and covalent crosslinking chemistries |
| Author(s) |
Kim Tomchak, Jeffrey Bates |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Kim Tomchak |
| Abstract Scope |
To limit plastic pollution and reduce reliance on nonrenewable resources, steps have been taken toward developing biobased and biodegradable alternatives to commodity plastics. Chitosan, derived from the second most abundant biopolymer on the planet (chitin), is explored as a core component of novel biobased and biodegradable materials in this work. The main challenges with chitosan-based materials are their brittle nature and lack of moisture resistance. We investigate covalently crosslinked chitosan for its biodegradability and material properties. Crosslinker length is varied to tune flexibility. Additionally, alternative solvents are explored to limit both the monetary and environmental costs associated with the ionic liquids commonly used for chitosan dissolution. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Biomaterials, Polymers, Environmental Effects |