PROCESS FOR PRODUCING CHITIN NANOFIBER, COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND COATING COMPOSITION BOTH CONTAINING CHITIN NANOFIBER, PROCESS FOR PRODUCING CHITOSAN NANOFIBER, AND COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND COATING COMPOSITION BOTH CONTAINING CHITOSAN NANOFIBER

摘要

A process for producing chitin nanofibers is provided which includes the steps of: subjecting a material derived from a chitin-containing organism to an alkali treatment to deproteinize the material; subjecting the deproteinized integument to an acid treatment to deash the integument; optionally treating the deashed integument under acidic conditions; and then fibrillating the integument. Also provided are: chitin nanofibers obtained by the process; and a composite material and a coating composition both containing the chitin nanofibers. Furthermore provided are: a process for producing chitosan nanofibers which includes a deacetylation step besides those steps; chitosan nanofibers obtained by the process; and a composite material and a coating composition both containing the chitosan nanofibers.