The hard outer shells of crabs and lobsters are made of a polymer called chitin. Chitin is a polysaccharide which is hard and insoluble, but somehow flexible. It is found in the shells of shrimps and other crustaceans as well.
Have you observed the shells of crabs? Does it get wet? Don’t be surprised to learn that chitin is waterproof. It is non-toxic, biodegradable and structurally similar to cellulose. However, it is a major source of surface pollution in coastal areas.
Chitin is a promising biomaterial and a considerable amount of research about chitin is being conducted worldwide now. Researchers have tried hard to synthesize synthetic polymers with the same properties as chitin. Thanks to their efforts, it is commercially produced in some parts of the world today.
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