Chemical pulping of chitinous biomass for chitin

US10100131B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama · US

Inventors

• Patrick S. Barber · Tuscaloosa, US
• Chris S. Griggs · Vicksburg, US
• Robin D. Rogers · Tuscaloosa, US
• Gabriela Gurau · Tuscaloosa, US
• Julia L. Shamshina · Tuscaloosa, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 27, 2015
• Grant date: Oct 16, 2018
• Expiry date: Jan 2, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C08L5/08
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Methods of separating chitin from a chitinous biomass that contains chitin and non-chitin material by a chemical pulping process that uses a protic ionic liquid or a composition comprising acid and base precursor molecules are described. Also described are methods for purifying chemically pulped chitin resulting in a pure chitin material with a high molecular weight and a higher degree of acetylation in comparison to traditional pulping and ionic liquid extraction based methods.