Preparation and characterization of optically transparent chitin nanofiber/(meth)acrylic resin composites

Optically transparent chitin nanofiber composites were fabricated with 11 different types of (meth)acrylic resins. Chitin nanofibers significantly increased the Young's moduli and the tensile strengths, and decreased the thermal expansion of all (meth)acrylic resins due to the reinforcement effect of chitin nanofibers having an extended crystal structure.