Crystalline polysaccharides, such as cellulose, chitin/chitosan are useful for important and rapidly growing applications ranging from advanced energy storage, green electronics and catalyst or enzyme supports to tissue engineering and biological devices. However, the potential value of chitin in such applications is currently neglected because of its poor swellability, reactivity and solubility in most commonly used solvents. Herein, a high-efficiency, energy-saving and “green” route for the fabrication of chitin-based hydrogels, aerogels, films, fibers and derivatives is described in which chitin is dissolved in an aqueous KOH/ urea solution. The structure and properties of these chitin-based materials were characterized. The simplicity of the process and the widely tunable properties of the chitin-based materials make them promising candidates for applications in various fields in the future. The method developed here should contribute to the utilization of seafood waste and, thereby, to the sustainable use of marine resources.<br/><br/>

High-efficiency, energy-saving and “green” route for fabrication of chitin-based materials

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.