Chitin and waste shrimp shells liquefaction and liquefied products/polyvinyl alcohol blend membranes. (1st February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zheng, Feng-Yi; Li, Ruisong; Hu, Jiadan; Zhang, Jie; Han, Xudong; Wang, Xinrui; Xu, Wen-Rong; Zhang, Yucang
• Is Part Of: Carbohydrate polymers. Volume 205(2019)
• Page Start: 550
• Page End: 558
• Publication Date: 2019-02-01
• Subjects: Chitin -- Shrimp shells -- Liquefaction -- Blend membrane -- Biomass; Polysaccharides -- Periodicals; Polysaccharides -- Periodicals; Polysaccharides -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 547.78
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2018.10.079
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-8617

Abstract

Highlights: Up to 92% of ball-milled chitin was liquefied by liquefaction technique. Waste shrimp shells were directly liquefied and first used to modify the polymer materials. LBMC and LBMS obviously enhanced the mechanical property, thermal stability and antibacterial activity of blend membranes. The properties of LBMS/PVA blend membranes were comparable to those of LBMC/PVA blend membranes. Abstract: Ball-milled chitin was liquefied with an optimal yield of 92% under sulfuric acid in diethylene glycol (DEG) at 160 °C for 120 min. The resulting liquid mixture was roughly separated into two portions: the real products of the reaction (liquefied ball-milled chitin, LBMC) and the remaining unreacted DEG. LBMC was further mingled with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to prepare LBMC/PVA blend membranes. To promote the direct utilization of shellfishery waste, raw shrimp shells were used to replace chitin for the liquefaction and membrane preparation operations. Liquefied ball-milled shrimp shells (LBMS) and the corresponding LBMS/PVA blend membranes were obtained. After adding LBMC or LBMS, the mechanical, thermal, water content and antibacterial performance of blend membranes were significantly improved compared to pure PVA membrane. Surprisingly, all the measured properties of LBMC/PVA and LBMS/PVA blend membranes were comparable, and even some properties of the latter were slightly superior than those of the former.