초록 |
Polysaccharide nanoporous structures are suitable for various applications ranging from biomedical scaffolding to adsorption materials, due to their biocompatibility and large surface areas. In particular, pectin, a polysaccharide polymer, binds with calcium cations to form a porous gel under specific conditions. In some cases, hydration of the polymer chain results in aggregation and collapse of the porous gel structure. In this study, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is used as a non-solvent in solvent exchange to retain the nanoscale porous structure of pectin. Compared to other solvents, IPA can interact with hydroxyl groups in the polysaccharide chain while its hydrophobic region prevents hydration and aggregation of the polymer, preserving the nanoporous morphology. We confirm that the inner structure of the gel and its morphologies depend on the type and ratio of non-solvent molecules. |