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Sustainable Porcine Plasma/Carboxymethyl Chitosan Bioplastics: Tunable Porosity for High-Performance Absorbents

delete2026-07-25
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OA
AI
S
Stefano Liotino
S
Stefania Cometa
M
Manuel Félix
A
Antonio Guerrero
C
Carlos Bengoechea *
E
Elvira De Giglio *
DOI:10.1007/s10924-026-03922-3delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
This study reports the development of injection-moulded bioplastics based on porcine plasma proteins (PPP) blended with carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCH), as sustainable absorbent materials for hygienic-sanitary applications as alternative to conventional polyurethane foams. Glycerol (Gly) was used as a plasticizer, while sodium carbonate (SC) was employed to induce porosity, and genipin (G) as a natural crosslinking agent. The materials were characterized by FTIR, XPS, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile testing, and scanning electron microscopy. The liquid absorption assays included water uptake capacity (WUC), free swell capacity (FSC), centrifuge retention capacity (CRC), absorption under load (AUL), and rewet performance. SC incorporation increased porosity and free swelling, so that PPP-CMCH/Gly_SC reached 3600 WUC%. Conversely, G-crosslinking reduced soluble matter loss and enhanced stiffness and AUL, with PPP-CMCH/Gly/G_SC formulation achieved a superior balance reaching an AUL of 5.97 g/g and rewet values as low as 0.77 g. This bioplastic reached FSC, CRC and AUL values of about 52%, 22% and 100% with respect to a commercial PU foam. Overall, the combined porosity-inducing and crosslinking strategy enabled a balance between absorbency and mechanical integrity.
Keywords:
Porcine plasma proteins
Carboxymethyl chitosan
Bioplastic
Genipin
Superabsorbent
Porous materials

Journal

Journal of Polymers and the Environment cover
Journal of Polymers and the Environment
IF:
5
Papers:
472
Citations:
1.5W

Organization

U
universidad de sevilla
Scholars:
721
Papers: 313
Citations: 0
D
Department of Chemistry
Scholars:
6.8K
Papers: 3.0K
Citations: 7
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