# US 2014/0194379 A1 · Methods for the production of chitin nanofibers and uses thereof

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- Number: US 2014/0194379 A1
- Document ID: US20140194379A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/123,726
- Filed: 2012-06-01
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-03
- Assignees: University of Washington through its Center for Commercialization
- Applicants: University of Washington Through Its Center For Commercialization
- Inventors: Marco Rolandi; Ronald Berenson; Vittorio Ruvolo; Adnan Kapetanovic; Jungho Jin; Chao Zhong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194379A1

## CPC

- A61L 31/042: {Polysaccharides}
- A61F 13/00063: {comprising medicaments or additives, e.g. odor control, PH control, debriding, antimicrobic (drug delivery dressings A61K9/70; chemical aspect of the additives A61L15/00)}
- A61K 8/736: {Chitin; Chitosan; Derivatives thereof}
- A61M 37/0015: {by using microneedles}
- A61Q 19/08: Anti-ageing preparations
- D01D 5/00: Formation of filaments, threads, or the like
- D01F 9/00: Artificial filaments or the like of other substances; Manufacture thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture of carbon filaments
- A61K 2800/91: Injection
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61Q: SPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS
- D01D: MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS
- D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS

## Abstract

Methods for the production chitin nanofibers and uses thereof. Furthermore, methods for the production of chitin nanofibers and the fabrication of chitin nanofiber structures and devices.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing chitin nanofibers comprising:
dissolving chitin in a solvent to prepare a chitin/solvent solution; and
allowing or initiating the formation of the chitin nanofibers.

### Claim 2

(canceled)

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent is hexafluoro 2-propanol (HFIP).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the chitin/solvent solution is prepared at a concentration selected from a range of approximately 0.001 weight percent (wt %) to approximately 10 wt %.

### Claim 5

(canceled)

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein allowing or initiating the formation of the chitin nanofibers comprises at least one of evaporating the solvent from the chitin/solvent solution and washing the chitin/solvent solution with an excess of a polar solvent.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the chitin nanofibers is at least one of approximately 1 nm, 2 nm, 3 nm, 4 nm, 5 nm, 6 nm, 7 nm, 8 nm, 9 nm, 10 nm, 11 nm, 12 nm, 13 nm, 14 nm, 15 nm, 16 nm, 17 nm, 18 nm, 19 nm, 20 nm, 25 nm, 30 nm, 35 nm, 40 nm, 45 nm, and 50 nm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising fabricating a chitin nanofiber structure by allowing or initiating the formation of the chitin nanofibers into a chitin nanofiber structure selected from at least one of a film, aerogel, gel, sponge, foam, 2-dimensional structure, 3-dimensional structure, non-woven fabric, woven fabric, woven filament, and non-woven filament.

### Claim 9

A method of fabricating a chitin nanofiber structure comprising:
dissolving chitin in a solvent to prepare a chitin/solvent solution;
applying the chitin/solvent solution on a substrate; and
allowing or initiating the formation of the chitin nanofiber structure on the substrate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate is a patterned substrate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of a 2-dimensional mold and a 3-dimensional mold.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the chitin nanofiber structure comprises at least one chitin nanofiber microneedle.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the chitin nanofiber structure is a chitin nanofiber microneedle array comprising at least two chitin nanofiber microneedles.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the chitin nanofiber microneedle has a height selected from a range of approximately 40 nm to approximately 3 mm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the at least two chitin nanofiber microneedles have widths selected from a range of approximately 10 nm to approximately 500 μm, and heights selected from a range of approximately 40 nm to approximately 3 mm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the at least one chitin nanofiber microneedle is chitosan.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the chitin nanofiber microneedle array is chitosan.

### Claim 18

A method of fabricating a chitin nanofiber structure comprising:
dissolving chitin in a solvent to prepare a chitin/solvent solution;
applying the chitin/solvent solution to a substrate using a transfer device; and
allowing the formation of the chitin nanofibers on the substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18, wherein the transfer device comprises at least one of a stamp, airbrush, ink jet printer, printer, pen, brush, sponge, vaporizer, liquid dispensing device, and aerosol dispensing device.

### Claim 20

(canceled)

### Claim 21

(canceled)

### Claim 22

A wound care device comprising a chitin nanofiber microneedle array.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1, 22)

The wound care device of claim 22, wherein the chitin nanofiber microneedle array comprises chitin nanofibers produced according to the method of claim 1.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The wound care device of claim 22, wherein the chitin nanofiber microneedle array comprises microneedles that have widths selected from a range of approximately 10 nm to approximately 500 μm.

### Claim 25

(canceled)

### Claim 26

(canceled)

### Claim 27

(canceled)

### Claim 28 (depends on 22)

The wound care device of claim 22, wherein the chitin nanofiber microneedle array comprises at least one porous microneedle.

### Claim 29 (depends on 22)

The wound care device of claim 22, wherein the chitin nanofiber microneedle array comprises at least one of a drug, vaccine, imaging agent, therapeutic agent, and diagnostic agent.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The wound care device of claim 29, wherein the therapeutic agent comprises at least one antibiotic.

### Claim 31

(canceled)