US 4931551 A Ground chitin is rendered dispersible in aqueous
medium to form stable dispersions on mild shearing, by
pretreating the chitin with an aqueous oxidizing bleach
solution. the dispersions, and paper-like structures prepared
from them by papermaking techniques, are useful for treating and
binding wounds. Operable bleaches include peroxygen bleaches and
labile halogen bleaches. Peroxygen bleaches include hydrogen and
alkali metal peroxide, alkaline earth and alkali metal
perborate, percarbonate, peroxymonosulfate, and bromate. The
labile halogen bleaches include alkali metal and alkaline earth
hypohalites, and dihalo-s-triazinetriones. 1. The dispersion
resulting from mild shearing in aqueous medium of chitin
pretreated with an aqueous oxidizing bleach. 2. The dispersion
of claim 1 wherein said oxidizing bleach is selected from the
group consisting of hydrogen, alkaline earth and alkali metal
peroxide, alkaline earth and alkali metal perborate,
percarbonate, peroxymonosulfate, persulfate, bromate, hy