Ultrastructure of chitosan and some gel‐forming, branched‐chain chitosan derivatives

Chitosan flakes from shrimp shells and xerogels derived from branched 1‐deoxyglycit‐1‐yl chitosan derivatives were examined by scanning electron microscopy; the former displayed relatively large, dome‐shaped orifices and the latter were found to exhibit a wide variety of ultrastructures, ranging from smooth, nonporous to microporous and microfibrillar. Some correlation between the chemical structure of the side chains of the chitosan derivatives and their microarchitecture could be established.