Chitin and chitosan fibres: A review

Abstract

Chitin is the most abundant natural amino polysaccharide and estimated to be produced annually almost as much as cellulose. It has become of great interest not only as an underutilized resource, but also as a new functional material of high potential in various fields and the recent progress in chitin chemistry is quite noteworthy. The purpose of this review is to take a closer look at fibres made of chitin and its derivatives. Based on the current research and existing products, some new and futuristic approaches, in the development of novel fibres and their applications have been thoroughly discussed.