Pure chitosan multifilament yarns made using a semi‐industrial pilot scale wet‐spinning process with ionic liquids

The ionic liquid 1‐ethyl‐3‐methyl‐imidazolium acetate (EMIMOAc) is used to develop a wet‐spinning process for the manufacturing of chitosan multifilament yarns on a semi‐industrial pilot scale. Commercial chitosans of different qualities, properties, and deacetylation degree ≤85% are used to prepare of spinning dopes with solids content of 6.0–8.5 wt.% using EMIMOAc as a solvent. The viscometric properties are characterized by rheological tests. The manufacturing of the pure chitosan multifilament yarns of different fineness and filament count from the prepared spinning dopes is performed on a pilot wet‐spinning plant. The obtained yarn properties are evaluated by optical (scanning electron microscope, light microscope), structural (infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction), and textile‐physical characterization. Chitosan multifilament yarns with high performance, tenacities of ~20–26 cN tex−1 and textile processability in weaving, knitting and braiding processes are manufactured in this work. Development of a wet‐spinning process for manufacturing of pure chitosan multifilament yarns from ionic liquids on a semi‐industrial pilot scale with given processability on industrial textile machines for medical textiles and tissue engineering.