Chitin derived from the seafood wastes such as waste crab, shrimp and lobster shells is abundant and renewable, and will become one of the most important chemical raw materials. The construction of novel polymer materials via physical approaches and green technology from raw chitin is a sustainable pathway and beneficial to the “green development” of our world. This review is thus completed with aims to attract more scientists and researchers to devote to the scope of “green” polymers and contribute to the survival, health and development of human being. In this article, the novel chitin materials fabricated from chitin nanocrystals as well as via direct dissolution/regeneration of chitin are summarized, with 244 references. Specifically, the main content can be divided as follows: origin and structure of chitin; novel chitin solvents, dissolution mechanism and chain conformation; chitin nanocrystals/nanofibers as well as relevant functional materials; chitin materials fabricated via physical dissolution/regeneration including hydrogels/aerogels, membranes/films, fibers, microspheres/beads, as well as their potential applications in biomaterial, electrochemistry, energy storage, separation/absorption, catalyst carrier and textile materials. More involvements from government, enterprise, university and institute in the green conversion of natural polymer would be expected in the future, to build a world with sustainability.

来自废蟹，虾和龙虾壳等海鲜废物的甲壳质丰富且可再生，将成为最重要的化学原料之一。通过物理方法和原始甲壳素的绿色技术构建新型聚合物材料是一条可持续的道路，并且有利于我们世界的“绿色发展”。至此，本综述的目的是吸引更多的科学家和研究人员致力于“绿色”聚合物的研究，并为人类的生存，健康和发展做出贡献。在本文中，总结了由几丁质纳米晶体以及通过几丁质的直接溶解/再生制得的新型几丁质材料，共有244篇文献。具体而言，主要内容可分为几丁质：甲壳质的起源和结构；甲壳质的来源。新型几丁质溶剂 溶解机理和链构象；几丁质纳米晶体/纳米纤维以及相关功能材料；通过物理溶解/再生制备的几丁质材料，包括水凝胶/气凝胶，膜/薄膜，纤维，微球/珠子，及其在生物材料，电化学，能量存储，分离/吸收，催化剂载体和纺织材料中的潜在应用。将来，政府，企业，大学和研究所都将更多地参与天然聚合物的绿色转化，以建立一个具有可持续性的世界。以及它们在生物材料，电化学，能量存储，分离/吸收，催化剂载体和纺织材料中的潜在应用。将来，政府，企业，大学和研究所将更多地参与天然聚合物的绿色转化，这将有望建立一个可持续发展的世界。以及它们在生物材料，电化学，能量存储，分离/吸收，催化剂载体和纺织材料中的潜在应用。将来，政府，企业，大学和研究所都将更多地参与天然聚合物的绿色转化，以建立一个具有可持续性的世界。