ABSTRACT
The butyrylchitin filaments were manufactured as follows: dry-spun fibers were obtained by spinning from a 23% solution of butyrylchitin in acetone into air. The lattice corresponded to the orthorhombic crystallo-graphic system. However, it should be emphasized that there was a difference in the lattice unit cells between chitosan and butyrylchitin filaments. Chitosan and butyrylchitin filaments differ from each other qualitatively in their thermal properties. In contrast, the low tensile strength and relatively low extensibility, with exception of the dry-spun butyrylchitin filaments, are drawbacks. The densities of chitosan filaments were about 15–18% larger than for butyrylchitin filaments. Because of this relationship the optical properties reveal a similar differentiation. The values of the isomorphic refractive index for chitosan filaments are markedly larger than for butyrylchitin filaments. The filaments also differ significantly in their optical character and the anisotropy of light transmission.
