TITLE:
Comparative Physicochemical Study of Shellfish-Derived Chitosan from Southern Benin and Commercial Chitosan for PEM Fuel Cell Applications
AUTHORS:
Augustin Enonsi Léodé, Bienvenu Glinma, Gabin Koto N’Gobi, Hyacinthe Finagnon Agnimonhan, Clément Adéyèmi Kouchadé, Basile Kounouhéwa
KEYWORDS:
Chitosan, Degree of Deacetylation (DDA), Extraction Yield, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Biopolymer
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering,
Vol.13 No.12,
December
10,
2025
ABSTRACT: Biopolymers, particularly chitosan derived from chitin, are attracting growing interest due to their versatility and environmental benefits. One notable application is the development of proton exchange membranes (PEM) for fuel cells, which offer a cleaner and more sustainable energy solution. This study aims to promote the use of local resources rich in biopolymers. For this purpose, a comparative analysis was performed on the physicochemical properties, melting point, X-ray diffraction, and degree of deacetylation of chitosan extracted from shrimp shells, compared to commercial chitosan. The main results of this study show, on the one hand, that the degree of deacetylation (DDA) of chitosan extracted from shrimp shells in the laboratory is 54.08%, while that of commercial chitosan is 97%. The study also revealed that the extraction yield of chitosan from shrimp shells was approximately 33.33% of the initial mass.