Synthesis and Characterization of an Amphiphilic Nanoparticles Based on Chitosan Oligosaccharide-Grafted-Polycaprolactone
The amphiphilic chitosan oligosaccharides graft copolymer (PHCSO-g-PCL) was synthesized via ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) through an amino group protection route using phthaloyl chitosan oligosaccharide (PHCSO) as intermediate. The graft reaction was carried out in Pyridine at 120 °C with a chitosan oligosaccharide (CSO) initiator and a tin 2-ethylhexanoate (Sn (Oct)2) catalyst. The amphiphilic PHCSO-g-PCL nanoparticles were prepared through the self-assembled in DMF organic solvents. PHCSO-PCL copolymer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The physicochemical properties of the hydrophobized PHCSO-g-PCL nanoparticles were investigated by using dynamic light scattering (DLS). The results of DLS showed that the hydrodynamic diameters and particle size distribution with various concentrations of PHCSO-g-PCL nanoparticles were from 69.82 nm to 195.9 nm with a narrow polydispersity factor of 0.212 to 0.172.