Architecture of chitin gel as examined by scanning electron microscopy

An architecture of the solid phase of chitin gel was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The ultrastructure of the xerogel was microporous with parallel channels surrounded with membranous walls. The pore shapes at cross section were polyhedral with three walls at the junctions. The pore was 30–50 μm in diameter and 80–300 μm in length, and the thickness of the walls was less than 1.5 μm. The gel is considered to be a polyphasic gel, consisting of small droplets of water held up in these pores.