Abstract: This paper deals with the rheological behavior and wetting power of chitosan/ hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) blend materials. Measuring the viscosity and shear stress of the blend solution by RVDV-ⅡPRO viscosimeter, the influences of composition and temperature on the rheological behavior of blend solution were observed, respectively. The contact angle (CA) of the film was measured by a K100 automatic surface tensiometer to investigate the chitosan / HPC blend materials wetting power. The results showed that almost all the mass ratio blend solutions belong to non-Newtonian fluid except the blends with mass fraction of not more than 1% HPC and not more than 1% chitosan——Newtonian fluid. The blend viscosity falls as temperature rises. The contact angle minimum is in the sequence as that of methyl alcohol< that of ethylene glycol < that of N, N-dimethylformamide < that of distilled water at 20 oC. Temperature change can make water CA low down obviously, and the CA values is in the order of that : 20℃＜40℃＜30 ℃ when the mass fraction of HPC is below 0.25%. The pH rising or falling a little more can both lead to the CA falling. When the mass fraction of HPC in blend material was in 0～1 %, the water CA changes from 71.04 ° to 55.38 °. Those will have some guidance significance to chitosan / HPC blend materials spinning, film forming and their application.

Key words: chitosan/HPC blend material, wiscosity, rheological behavior, wetting power