Multifunctional materials from nanochitin

• Grant number: 19/00370-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: May 01, 2019
• End date: September 12, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Watson Loh
• Grantee: Caio Gomide Otoni
• Supervisor: Orlando Jose Rojas Gaona
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Aalto University, Finland
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/07013-1 - Surface modifications and polyelectrolyte adsorption via layer-by-layer onto cellulose nanofibers for the production of antimicrobial aerogels, BP.PD

Abstract

This research falls within the current scenario involving sustainable and multifunctional materials. Overall, it deals with the controlled deconstruction of the hierarchical architecture of chitin into nanochitin (NCh), which merges the inherent features of pristine chitin (renewability, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and biological activity, to mention a few) and the peculiarities of anisotropic nano-objects, such as high aspect ratio and high specific surface area. This will be allowed by the partial deacetylation and TEMPO-mediated oxidation followed by mechanical disintegration of never-dried chitin from marine-originated waste. Dispersions of cationic and anionic NCh in water will be studied and used as precursors for the production of ultralight aerogels intended for antimicrobial purposes. The potential of TEMPO-oxidized NCh to serve as ionic crosslinking points to partially deacetylated NCh in order to provide the all-chitin aerogels with wet resilience will be investigated. The research paves the route for broadening the range of applications of NCh as building blocks of novel multifunctional materials.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BEAUMONT, MARCO; OTONI, CAIO G.; MATTOS, BRUNO D.; KOSO, TETYANA V.; ABIDNEJAD, ROOZBEH; ZHAO, BIN; KONDOR, ANETT; KING, ALISTAIR W. T.; ROJAS, ORLANDO J.. Regioselective and water-assisted surface esterification of never-dried cellulose: nanofibers with adjustable surface energy. GREEN CHEMISTRY, v. 23, n. 18, AUG 2021. (19/00370-9, 16/13926-7)

OTONI, CAIO G.; QUEIROS, MARCOS V. A.; SABADINI, JULIA B.; ROJAS, ORLANDO J.; LOH, WATSON. Charge Matters: Electrostatic Complexation As a Green Approach to Assemble Advanced Functional Materials. ACS OMEGA, v. 5, n. 3, p. 1296-1304, JAN 28 2020. (17/07013-1, 15/25406-5, 18/09099-3, 18/25041-5, 19/00370-9)