Enhanced Regenerated Chitin Fiber by a Deacetylation-mediated Strategy Based on Alkali/Urea Green Dissolution System

Sen Xue; Hong Tan; Qiang Fu

doi:10.1007/s10118-025-3411-x

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Enhanced Regenerated Chitin Fiber by a Deacetylation-mediated Strategy Based on Alkali/Urea Green Dissolution System

RESEARCH ARTICLE | Updated：2025-10-30

- Enhanced Regenerated Chitin Fiber by a Deacetylation-mediated Strategy Based on Alkali/Urea Green Dissolution System
- Enhanced Regenerated Chitin Fiber by a Deacetylation-mediated Strategy Based on Alkali/Urea Green Dissolution System
- 高分子科学（英文） 2025年43卷第11期页码：2042-2050
- Affiliations：
  
  a.College of Polymer Science and Engineering, National Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymer Materials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
  b.Guangdong Provincial Laboratory of Chemistry and Fine Chemical Engineering Jieyang Center, Jieyang 515200, China
- Author bio：
  
  qiangfu@scu.edu.cn
- Funds：
  
  Electronic supplementary information (ESI) is available free of charge in the online version of this article at http://doi.org/10.1007/s10118-025-3411-x.
- DOI：10.1007/s10118-025-3411-x
  中图分类号：
- 收稿：2025-05-29，
  
  修回：2025-07-03，
  
  录用：2025-07-07，
  
  网络首发：2025-09-10，
  
  纸质出版：2025-11-05
- Accepted：
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Xue, S.; Tan, H.; Fu, Q. Enhanced regenerated chitin fiber by a deacetylation-mediated strategy based on alkali/urea green dissolution system. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 2042–2050

Sen Xue, Hong Tan, Qiang Fu. Enhanced Regenerated Chitin Fiber by a Deacetylation-mediated Strategy Based on Alkali/Urea Green Dissolution System[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2025, 43(11): 2042-2050.
Xue, S.; Tan, H.; Fu, Q. Enhanced regenerated chitin fiber by a deacetylation-mediated strategy based on alkali/urea green dissolution system. Chinese J. Polym. Sci. 2025, 43, 2042–2050 DOI： 10.1007/s10118-025-3411-x.

Sen Xue, Hong Tan, Qiang Fu. Enhanced Regenerated Chitin Fiber by a Deacetylation-mediated Strategy Based on Alkali/Urea Green Dissolution System[J]. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 2025, 43(11): 2042-2050. DOI： 10.1007/s10118-025-3411-x.

摘要

A deacetylation-mediated strategy produces enhanced regenerated chitin fibers based on a green alkali/urea system

establishing a clear structure-property relationship where tuning the deacetylation degree enhances intermolecular interactions

improves fiber orientation and compactness

and thereby synergistically improves mechanical strength and antimicrobial functionality.

Abstract

Chitin

distinguished by its nitrogen-rich acetamido and amino groups

imparts a distinctive cationic nature

enabling chitin to have indispensable features in various applications. Despite its significant promise in the textile industry

particularly for sustainable and functional fabric applications

the practical utilization of chitin fibers remains constrained by insufficient mechanical strength. The degree of deacetylation (DD)

a key molecular-level structural determinant

has not been adequately addressed in previous studies despite its critical role in influencing chitin properties across multiple scales. In this study

a deacetylation-mediated design strategy was used to achieve enhanced mechanical performance coupled with multifunctional efficacy using an aqueous KOH/urea solution dissolution system. We prepared a series of deacetylated chitins with different DD values and systematically studied the effect of deacetylation on the multiple-scale structure of regenerated fibers

such as intermolecular interactions and chain orientation at the molecular level

and the aggregation behavior of chitin nanofibers within the gel-state and dried fibers at the micro/nano scale. To achieve an enhanced mechanical performance coupled with multifunctional efficacy by relying on an aqueous KOH/urea solution dissolution system. Moreover

deacetylation enhances intermolecular interactions

resulting in densified internal structures and improved fiber orientation. Concomitantly

it augmented the antimicrobial functionality of the fibers. This deacetylation-mediated design strategy provides a deeper understanding of the structure and properties of regenerated chitin and advances the utility of chitin in strong and sustainable fibers.

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references

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