Stability of partially deacetylated chitin nano-fiber dispersions mediated by protonic acids

Partially deacetylated chitin nano-fiber(DAChN)dispersions were prepared using mechanical treatment of partially deacetylated crab shellα-chitin under acidic conditions mediated by various protonic acids.The representative organic acids had a better efficiency in terms of mediating the nanofibrillation of chitin fibers in comparison to the inorganic acid(HCl).The DAChN dispersed in water at a pH of 3.5 mediated by gluconic acid exhibited the highest yield of nano-fibers(88.6%),followed by succinic,itaconic,and ascorbic acids with a nano-fiber yield of 79.9%,73.3%and 66.0%,respectively.The pH,conductivity,viscosity,and light transmittance of dispersions were assessed under different storage times.All of the tested DAChN dispersions were stable for at least 15 weeks at 4℃.