Table 1.

Structural data from SANS analysis. Correlation length (l_c), mass-fractal (d), mass-fractal prefactor (B) and radius of gyration of the cross-section (R_c), were analyzed for chitosan/alginate samples. Each mixture was made with equal volumes of a mass fraction of 2% chitosan and a mass fraction of 2% alginate. The calcium-containing sample was made by adding Ca²⁺ to the chitosan/alginate mixture at a volume ratio of 10:1 chitosan-alginate:CaCl₂ (0.25% CaCl₂). The chondroitin-containing sample was made by adding chondroitin to the chitosan/alginate mixture at a volume ratio of 6:1 chitosan/alginate/chondroitin (0.5% chondroitin). The B for chitosan and alginate could not be calculated due to low scattering values.

Samples	lc (Å)	d	B	Rc (Å)
2% chitosan	147 ± 8	3.0 ± 0.3	-	83
2% alginate	245 ± 9	2.6 ± 0.3	-	88
2% chitosan+ 2% alginate	134 ± 5	2.9 ± 0.2	4.6 × 10−4	109
2% chitosan + 2% alginate + 0.25% Ca2+	120 ± 5	2.8 ± 0.2	1.0 × 10−4	92
2% chitosan + 2% alginate + 0.5% chondroitin	149 ± 8	3.0 ± 0.2	3.9 × 10−4	126