Preparation of Chitin Nanofibers from Shrimp Shell Waste by Partial Deacetylation and Mechanical Treatment

Chitin is one of the most abundant biopolymers in nature. Herein, we report successful preparation chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) from shrimp shell waste using a partial deacetylation process with NaOH and high-speed blending. The effects reaction concentrations (0–40 wt%) on degree acetylation (DA), crystallinity, zeta potential, thermal stability, morphology ChNFs were investigated. With more aggressive (higher concentration), had lower DA, crystallinity degree, their widths lengths became smaller shorter. presence amino groups molecule caused by generated repulsive forces aids acetic acid, efficiently leading to individualization individualized deacetylated 30 wt% an average width 8.07 ± 1.80 nm length less than 500 nm, whereas bundles aggregated fibers range 30–100 up several μm extracted without deacetylation. Additionally, 40 completely converted chitosan. could be used for composites, biomaterials, packaging applications.