Produção de fibras de quitosana pela técnica de fiação úmida para aplicação como biomaterial.

Abstract

Over the past decades, chitosan has been extensively investigated and used as a biomaterial. A set of properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, bioactivity, absence of toxicity, absorption properties, ability to form membranes, bioadhesivity, activity against fungi, bacteria and viruses and hemostatic has greatly contributed to this end. In the present study we used the technique of wet spinning to obtain chitosan fibers, by relating the following parameters: concentration of polymer coagulation bath, washing and drying, as well as assess the effect of poly (ethylene oxide) in the mechanical properties of the fibers. In this sense, chitosan fibers were obtained with 4% chitosan and 0.4% PEO, using a flow rate of 45ml/hr and coagulation bath at room temperature. The results showed that the fibers showed mechanical properties close to the values required by the standard NBR 13904, reaching about 80%. The evaluation of the amount of PEO in fiber and extrusion speed of effect revealed that the higher the concentration of PEO and the lower the extrusion speed, the greater the maximum load supported by the fiber. The fibers exhibited toxic, with a cell viability of 64%. Thus, it can be concluded fibers have promising features, but need improvements in processing, as well as new studies on methods which give the same a greater resistance and increase cellular viability of the fibers.