Novel materials based on chitosan and cellulose

Abstract

This review provides a brief overview of the recent research efforts carried out at the CICECO laboratory of the University of Aveiro on novel materials based on chitosan within the background of previous investigations of similar counterparts. Most of this work is devoted to different modes of combining chitosans of various molecular weights and degrees of deacetylation (including appropriately modified chitosans providing either fluorescent properties or water solubility) with cellulose fibres of various sizes (standard to nanosize), morphologies (conventional papers, nanofibrillated or bacterial strands) and assemblies (composites or paper coating and impregnation). Additionally, the radical transformation of chitin and chitosan low‐quality residues into viscous polyols by a straightforward oxypropylation is also discussed. The results of these investigations show the remarkable potential of chitosan as a source of promising blends and composites, among other novel materials. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry

Thermal and mechanical properties of chitosan nanocomposites with cellulose modified in ionic liquids

“…It consists of N-acetyl glucosamine and D-glucosamine units which are a source of amine and hydroxyl groups. Such chitosan/nanometric cellulose composite merges the properties of chitosan (biodegradability, antibacterial properties, transparency, antimicrobial activity) and nanometric cellulose (high surface area, very good barrier, and mechanical properties) [29][30][31][32] resulting in obtainment of composite materials that can be successfully applied in packaging industry (film for food, paper coatings), in chemical industry (catalysts, adsorbents), and in biomedicine (carrier of active substances, filaments) [33][34][35][36]. Despite of these valuable advantages, there are also compelling problems hindering wider application of such chitosan-based composites.…”

Preparation and characterization of a novel bacterial cellulose/chitosan bio-hydrogel

“…17,18 At present, the composite of chitosan and cellulose has been explored to develop composite membranes and fibers, which hold many beneficial properties, namely, anti-inflammation, deodorization, and antibiosis, and which can be used for dermal wounds and tissue engineering. 19,20 Since the chemical structure of chitosan backbone is very similar to that of cellulose, it was expected that chitosan could be miscible with cellulose and the resulting mix might gain the beneficial properties of both BC and chitosan. Several methods were adopted to prepare different forms of BC and chitosan composites.…”

Techniques for the Isolation of High-Quality RNA from Cells Encapsulated in Chitosan Hydrogels

“…Hydrogels derived from chitosan have been extensively studied as biomaterials for tissue engineering applications due to their favorable biocompatibility, biodegradability, and capacity for tailored bioactivity. [1][2][3][4] These materials can be designed as cell delivery vehicles that crosslink in situ to encapsulate cell populations within target sites. In developing these regenerative approaches, gene expression analysis of the encapsulated cell populations by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) can provide useful information in characterizing the cellular response within the engineered microenvironments.…”