Dry-jet wet spinning of β-1,3-glucan and α-1,3-glucan

Regenerated fibers have garnered considerable attention in the textile industry because of their inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability. Polysaccharides are abundant renewable biomass resources, and their structural diversity depends on the constituent monosaccharides and linkage styles; thus, the resultant fibers can exhibit a wide range of performance and functions. However, most conventional studies and applications have only focused on β-1,4-glucan (cellulose), and other polysaccharides have not been fully explored. This focus review covers two specific polysaccharides: β-1,3-glucan (curdlan) and α-1,3-glucan. In particular, their characteristic fiber properties are introduced with insights related to the different structures of crystalline and molecular chains. Moreover, the appropriate parameters for dry-jet wet spinning of these polysaccharides are described, such as the concentration of the dope, the appropriate spinning and coagulation solvents for each polysaccharide, and the post-treatment method for the regenerated fibers.