Effects of supercritical water and mechanochemical grinding treatments on physicochemical properties of chitin

This study examined the effects of a combined pretreatment with supercritical water and mechanochemical grinding with a ball mill on the physicochemical properties of chitin and its enzymatic degradation. Following pretreatment with a combination of supercritical water and grinding, chitin had a lower mean molecular weight, a lower crystallinity index, a lower crystallite size, greater d-spacing, weaker hydrogen bonds, and the amide group was more exposed compared with untreated chitin. These properties increased the hydrophilicity of the chitin and enhanced its enzymatic degradation. The N,N′-diacetylchitobiose (GlcNAc)2 yield after enzymatic degradation of chitin following pretreatment with supercritical water (400 °C, 1 min) and grinding (800 rpm, 10 min) was 93%, compared with 5% without any treatment, 37% with supercritical water pretreatment alone (400 °C, 1 min), and 60% with grinding alone (800 rpm, 30 min).