Chitin Nanocrystals confined to polymer microgels.

Chitin is the second most abundant polysaccharide after cellulose, which can be extracted from exoskeletons of crustaceans and also from cell walls of fungi and insects. Similar to cellulose nanocrystals, chitin nanocrystals can be isolated through acid hydrolysis and form cholesteric phase. We investigate chitin nanocrystals confined to pnipam microgels using microfluidics device. The twisted structure of chitin nanocrystals are preserved within the polymer spheres, as characterized by optical microscopy. The droplet radius, R of the microgels can be adjusted by changing the volumetric flow rate of oil phase in a microfluidics device. Interestingly, the fabricated microgels shows bipolar structure with the shape of prolate spheroids. They exhibit swelling-deswelling behavior upon temperature change along the axis of helix.