Chitosan as stabilizing agent for negatively charged nanoparticles

• Published in: Carbohydrate polymers Vol. 161; pp. 63 - 70
• Main Authors: Collado-González, Mar, Montalbán, Mercedes G., Peña-García, Jorge, Pérez-Sánchez, Horacio, Víllora, Gloria, Díaz Baños, F. Guillermo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2017
• Subjects: Aggregation-Stabilizing effect; Chitosan; Chitosan - chemistry; Dynamic light scattering; Fibroins - chemistry; Gold - chemistry; Gold nanoparticles; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Molecular modeling; Nanocomposites - chemistry; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Silk fibroin nanoparticles; Chitosan; Dynamic light scattering; Aggregation-Stabilizing effect; Gold nanoparticles; Silk fibroin nanoparticles; Molecular modeling
• ISSN: 0144-8617; 1879-1344
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2016.12.043

•Chitosan behavior in solution when the ionic strength of the medium is increased.•Nanocomposites depend on proportion and concentration of chitosan and AuNP or SFN.•Experiments and modeling to study about how chitosan interacts with silk fibroin.•Optimum proportions to obtain the smallest and most homogeneous stable nanocomposites.•Two different ways of organization for chitosan to reach the stabilizing effect.
Chitosan is a biocompatible polysaccharide with positive Z potential which can stabilize negative charged nanoparticles. Silk fibroin nanoparticles and citrate gold nanoparticles, both with negative Z potential, but they form aggregates at physiological ionic strength. In this work, we study the behavior of chitosan in solution when the ionic strength of the medium is increased and how the concentration of chitosan and the proportion of the two components (chitosan and AuNP or SFN) significantly affect the stability and size of the nanocomposites formed. In addition to experimental measurements, molecular modeling were used to gain insight into how chitosan interacts with silk fibroin monomers, and to identify the main energetic interactions involved in the process. The optimum values for obtaining the smallest and most homogeneous stable nanocomposites were obtained and two different ways of organization through which chitosan may exert its stabilizing effect were suggested.