Electrospinning of chitin nanofibers directly from an ionic liquid extract of shrimp shells

High molecular weight chitin fibers were electrospun in a one-pot process directly from a 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate solution of chitin extracted from dried shrimp shell. Such a technology obviates the need not only for the many chemicals and the energy used in industrial isolation of chitin from crustacean shells but also saves the chemicals, energy, and time needed to prepare chitin spinning dopes.