@article {18166,
	title = {Chitosan-Silica Hybrid Porous Membranes},
	journal = {Materials Science and Engineering: C},
	year = {2014},
	month = {2014-06-07 00:00:00},
	abstract = {<p style="text-align: justify;">Chitosan{\textendash}silica porous hybrids were prepared by a novel strategy in order to improve the mechanical properties of chitosan (CHT) in the hydrogel state. The inorganic silica phase was introduced by sol{\textendash}gel reactions in acidic medium inside the pores of already prepared porous scaffolds. In order to make the scaffolds insoluble in acidic media chitosan was cross-linked by genipin (GEN) with an optimum GEN concentration of 3.2 wt.\%. Sol{\textendash}gel reactions took place with Tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) acting as silica precursors. GPTMS served also as a coupling agent between the free amino groups of chitosan and the silica network. The morphology study of the composite revealed that the silica phase appears as a layer covering the chitosan membrane pore walls. The mechanical properties of the hybrids were characterized by means of compressive stress{\textendash}strain measurements. By immersion in water the hybrids exhibit an increase in elastic modulus up to two orders of magnitude.</p>},
	keywords = {Chitosan, genipin, Hybrid, Mechanical Properties, scaffolds, silica},
	doi = { 10.1016/j.msec.2014.05.073},
	author = {Pandis, C. and Madeira, S. and Matos, J. and Kyritsis, A. and Mano, J. F. and Ribelles, J. L. G.}
}
