Elsevier Frindy, S.; Primo Arnau, AM.; Qaiss, AEK.; Bouhfid, R.; Lahcini, M.; García Gómez, H.; Bousmina, M.... (2016). Insightful understanding of the role of clay topology on the stability of biomimetic hybrid chitosan-clay thin films and CO2-dried porous aerogel microspheres. Carbohydrate Polymers. 146:353-361. doi:10.1016Polymers. 146:353-361. doi:10. /j.cabpel.2016 Irrespective to the clay microstructure, an improvement in the mechanical properties of the 23 chitosan-clay films has been substantiated with CS-SP reaching the highest value at 5% clay 24 loading. While clay addition provides a way to resist the shrinkage occurring for native chitosan, 25 the enhanced hydrophilicity associated to the water content affects the efficacy of the CO 2 super-26 critical drying as the most hydrophilic CS-SP microspheres face the highest shrinkage, resulting 27 in a lowest specific surface area compared to CS-HNT and CS-MMT. Chitosan-clay exhibits 28 enhanced thermal properties with the degradation delayed in the order CS