Abstract
In this study, instant catapult steam explosion (ICSE) was employed for chitin treatment, and the effect of ICSE on the chitin structure was systematically investigated by using a series of analytical techniques including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis. Due to the powerful seepage force of the steam during ICSE, the crystallinity index of chitin decreased 10.2% in the (1 1 0) plane and 13.3% in the (0 2 0) plane. Significantly larger surface areas (up to 2.5 times greater, 12.69 m²/g at 1.6 MPa) with more and larger pores (up to a 3.5 times larger pore volume, 0.0333 cm³/g at 2.0 MPa) were achieved after ICSE, and numerous lacerated-like pore shapes were observed on the porous surface of chitin. Importantly, the molecular structure of chitin remained intact with no substantial damage to chitin’s molecular weight, thermostability and acetylation (∼70%), which ensures the possibility and diversity of further chitin derivatization.
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