title: Customizing properties of β-chitin in squid pen (gladius) by chemical treatments.
abstract: The squid pen (gladius) from the Loligo vulgaris was used for preparation of β-chitin materials characterized by different chemical, micro- and nano-structural properties that preserved, almost completely the macrostructural and the mechanical ones. The β-chitin materials obtained by alkaline treatment showed porosity, wettability and swelling that are a function of the duration of the treatment. Microscopic, spectroscopic and synchrotron X-ray diffraction techniques showed that the chemical environment of the N-acetyl groups of the β-chitin chains changes after the thermal alkaline treatment. As a consequence, the crystalline packing of the β-chitin is modified, due to the intercalation of water molecules between β-chitin sheets. Potential applications of these β-chitin materials range from the nanotechnology to the regenerative medicine. The use of gladii, which are waste products of the fishing industry, has also important environmental implications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. alessandro.ianiro@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ianiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. matteo.digiosia2@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Matteo Di
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Giosia
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. simona.fermani@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fermani
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. chiara.samori3@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Samorì
authors.affiliation: National Research Council (CNR), Institute for Nanostructured Materials (ISMN), Via P. Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy. m.barbalinardo@bo.ismn.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbalinardo
authors.affiliation: National Research Council (CNR), Institute for Nanostructured Materials (ISMN), Via P. Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy. f.valle@bo.ismn.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.affiliation: Centre for Regenerative Medicine "Stefano Ferrari", University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via G. Gottardi, 100, 41125 Modena, Italy. graziella.pellegrini@unimore.it.
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 183, 41125 Modena, Italy. fabio.biscarini@unimore.it.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Biscarini
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. francesco.zerbetto@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zerbetto
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. matteo.calvaresi3@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calvaresi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry "Giacomo Ciamician", Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Selmi 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy. giuseppe.falini@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry*; D049832:Decapodiformes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D016062:Porosity; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D017155:Wettability; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D002686:Chitin