Preparation and Rheological Properties of Chitin and Chitosan -2. Effects of shear rate, temperature, concentration and salts on the viscosity of chitosan solution-

Effects of rheological parameters, such as shear rate, temperature, concerntration, salts on the apparent viscosity of chitosan(deacetylation degree: , Mw: 267,000) dissolved in acetate buffer(pH 4.5) were investigated. Rheologiral properties of chitosan solution from cuticle of red snow crab (Chinonecetes japonicus) are as follows. chitosan in 0.1M acetate buffer (pH 4.5) solution showed Bingham flow having hysteresis loop. It's flow equation was . The viscosity of chitosan solution is exponentially increased with its concentration, and showed Arrhenius dependence with respect to the temperature When various salts were added to chitosan solution, the viscosity decreased as the concentration of counterion increased. But the type ot counterions itself does not have any significant effects on the viscosity.