Regeneration behavior of chitosan from ionic liquid using water and alcohols as anti-solvents

While ionic liquids (ILs) have been considered as effective and “green” solvents for biopolymer processing, regeneration of IL-dissolved biopolymers could largely impact structure properties. This study indicates that the reconstitution chitosan during from 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Emim][OAc]) depends on anti-solvent (water, methanol or ethanol) largely. Irrespective anti-solvent, chemical was not varied by dissolution regeneration. With water, regenerated had highest crystallinity index 54.18%, followed those with (35.07%) ethanol (25.65%). Water an promote chain rearrangement, leading to formation ordered aggregated crystallites. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation number hydrogen bonds formed between anti-solvents [Emim][OAc] in order water > ethanol. used regeneration, aggregation rearrangement chains occurred more easily.