Patent ID: 8357787

Claim:
A method of making a solution of chitosan comprising: (1) selecting a desired final chitosan concentration having a total volume of water, V F ; (2) obtaining a blend comprising: a solid chitosan that may be partially protonated but is greater than 80% insoluble when added to water and in a dry, free-flowing, particulate form, and a solid acid or a solid agent that generates a proton in situ in the presence of water, wherein the solid acid or the solid agent that generates a proton in situ in the presence of water is in a dry, free-flowing, particulate form, wherein the solid chitosan and the solid acid or the solid agent that generates a proton in situ in the presence of water are not reacted together or otherwise chemically bound; (3) adding a quantity of water V 1 , to the blend, wherein V 1 is less than V F , and V 1 is effective to swell and dissolve the solid chitosan to form a gel within a predetermined time period; and (4) after the solid chitosan has swelled and dissolved to form a gel and before the gel dries, adding water to the gel to dissolve the gel and bring the total volume of added water to V F , thereby producing a solution of chitosan of the desired concentration.