Simultaneous toughening and strengthening of chitin-based composites via tensile-induced orientation and hydrogen bond reconstruction.

Chitin, an abundant, biodegradable, and biocompatible polysaccharide, is one of the most ideal eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based plastics. However, the applications of chitin-based materials are hindered by their low processability and brittleness induced by strong hydrogen bonds. Herein, a tensile-induced orientation and hydrogen bond reconstruction strategy was developed to fabricate a chitin nanowhiskers/poly(vinyl alcohol) composite film with high strength and toughness.