Nanochitin for sustainable and advanced manufacturing

• Published in: Nanoscale 2024-02, Vol.16 (7), p.3269-3292
• Main Authors: Chee, Pei Lin, Sathasivam, Thenapakiam, Tan, Ying Chuan, Wu, Wenya, Leow, Yihao, Lim, Quentin Ray Tjieh, Yew, Pek Yin Michelle, Zhu, Qiang, Kai, Dan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chitin; Life cycle assessment; Manufacturing; Polysaccharides; Sustainable development
• ISSN: 2040-3364; 2040-3372
• DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05533g

Presently, the rapid depletion of resources and drastic climate change highlight the importance of sustainable development. In this case, nanochitin derived from chitin, the second most abundant renewable polymer in the world, possesses numerous advantages, including toughness, easy processability and biodegradability. Furthermore, it exhibits better dispersibility in various solvents and higher reactivity than chitin owing to its increased surface area to volume ratio. Additionally, it is the only natural polysaccharide that contains nitrogen. Therefore, it is valuable to further develop this innovative technology. This review summarizes the recent developments in nanochitin and specifically identifies sustainable strategies for its preparation. Additionally, the different biomass sources that can be exploited for the extraction of nanochitin are highlighted. More importantly, the life cycle assessment of nanochitin preparation is discussed, followed by its applications in advanced manufacturing and perspectives on the valorization of chitin waste. Among the numerous strategies to synthesize nanochitin from waste, the more sustainable methods are identified to facilitate the valorization of chitin waste and its eventual infiltration in advanced manufacturing.