Diffusion Through Membranes of the Polyelectrolyte Complex of Chitosan and Alginate

Abstract

The swelling of membranes of the polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) between chitosan and alginate shows a similar pattern to that of other PECs. However, if the swelled membranes are dried, a second swelling process is seen which exhibits Fickian behavior. The apparent activation energy was estimated to be 32.8 kJ · mol⁻¹. The release rate of model solutes was highly dependent on their molecular weight and the pH of the medium. Arrhenius type plot of the temperature dependence of the apparent diffusion coefficients for the membrane of the polyelectrolyte complex between chitosan and alginate in water. magnified image Arrhenius type plot of the temperature dependence of the apparent diffusion coefficients for the membrane of the polyelectrolyte complex between chitosan and alginate in water.