Title
Dual responsive modified cellulose/chitin mixed fibers
Authors
ANAMARIA SDROBIS GHIOCEL EMIL IOANID CRISTIAN-DRAGOS VARGANICI and CORNELIA VASILE

Received December 6, 2013
Published Volume 49 Issue 3-4 March-April
Keywords cellulose, chitin, dual responsiveness, smart polymers, thermal properties

Abstract
Dual responsiveness to temperature and pH of textile fibers constituted of cellulose/chitin mixture modified with N isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) or poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) has been demonstrated, by investigating the their swelling behavior and by optical microscopy. It has been established that the fibers exhibit a critical temperature of 32-33 ºC and a critical pH around 4.5, and that the swelling kinetics reveal Fickian behaviour.