Calculation of viscometric constants, hydrodynamic volume, polymer–solvent interaction parameter, and expansion factor for three polysaccharides with different chain conformations Original Research Article

The viscometric constants, K and a, for three polysaccharides: hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC); hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC); and chitosan, were calculated at 30 °C using intrinsic viscosity, [η] and molecular weight (Mn, Mw, Mz) data. The polydispersity correction factor, qMHS, and hydrodynamic volume for each polymer sample were also calculated. The value of qMHS for the polymer samples was taken into account in the calculation of the viscometric constants. The polymer–solvent interaction parameters for the three polysaccharides were estimated by both semiempirical and numerical methods using intrinsic viscosity and molecular weight data. Hydrodynamic expansion factors were also estimated using the latter data. The quality of the solvents for the three polymers was compared using exponent a, polymer–solvent interaction parameter, and expansion factor data.