reviewMoleculesSep 1, 2020GOLD OA

Chitosan: A Natural Biopolymer with a Wide and Varied Range of Applications

Universidad de Málaga

Indexed incrossrefdoaj

Abstract

Although chitin is of the most available biopolymers on Earth its uses and applications are limited due to its low solubility. The deacetylation of chitin leads to chitosan. This biopolymer, composed of randomly distributed β-(1-4)-linked D-units, has better physicochemical properties due to the facts that it is possible to dissolve this biopolymer under acidic conditions, it can adopt several conformations or structures and it can be functionalized with a wide range of functional groups to modulate its superficial composition to a specific application. Chitosan is considered a highly biocompatible biopolymer due to its biodegradability, bioadhesivity and bioactivity in such a way this biopolymer displays a…

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731
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100%
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Authors

2

Topics & keywords

Keywords
  • Biopolymer
  • Chitosan
  • Chitin
  • Biodegradation
  • Chemical engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Biocompatible material
  • Nanotechnology
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