The University of Alabama

Chinese Academy of Sciences

Patrick S Barber

Robin Don Rogers

Gabriela Gurau

Chris S Griggs

Richard Patrick Swatloski

Christopher Scott Griggs

Suojiang Zhang

Julia L Shamshina

Terrance Opichka

Jonathan R Bonner

Xingmei Lu

Methods of separating chitin from a chitinous biomass that contains chitin and non-chitin material by a chemical pulping process that uses a protic ionic liquid or a composition comprising acid and base precursor molecules are described. Also described are methods for purifying chemically pulped chitin resulting in a pure chitin material with a high molecular weight and a higher degree of acetylation in comparison to traditional pulping and ionic liquid extraction based methods.

Chemical pulping of chitinous biomass for chitin

Disclosed are methods for electrospinning chitinous biomass solution to form chitin fibers, using ionic liquids or other ion-containing liquids as solvent. Chitin fibers produced thereby and articles containing such chitin fibers are also disclosed. The chitin fiber thus obtained has very high surface area and improved strength over currently commercially available chitin materials.

Process for electrospinning chitin fibers from chitinous biomass solution

Disclosed herein are processes for providing a biopolymer from a biomass or source of chitin using ionic liquids. The processes involve contacting a biomass or source of chitin with an ionic liquid to produce a biopolymer comprising solution and precipitating the biopolymer from the solution with supercritical CO, gaseous CO, or combinations thereof.

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Tuscaloosa, AL, United States of America

Patrick S Barber