Thermal Properties of Gelatin and Chitosan

The most common and potential biopolymers currently used are starch, chitosan, alginate, gelatin, polylactides (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHAs) and so on. The extensive use of gelatin and chitosan in various applications has widened the understanding of these biopolymers. Versatile thermal properties of both gelatin and chitosan enhance its usage as a novel candidate for utilization in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Thermal properties of gelatin and chitosan depend on many factors such as their natural origin, purity, composition, processing, thermal treatment, mechanical stressing, and aging. Changes in the compositional and structural parameters of chitosan and gelatin affect its glass transitions and melting temperature and these in turn affect many performance parameters. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is a method of thermal analysis which measures changes in physical and chemical properties of materials as a function of increasing temperature or as a function of time.