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Nanomaterials Derived from Fungal Sources—Is It the New Hype?

Summary

This research explores using fungal-derived chitin as a sustainable alternative to synthetic plastics and materials. Chitin, a natural polymer found in mushrooms and other fungi, can be processed into strong, lightweight materials with potential applications in packaging, construction, and other industries. The study shows several advantages of using fungal sources over traditional crustacean sources. Impacts on everyday life: • Could provide biodegradable alternatives to plastic packaging materials • Offers sustainable solutions for construction and insulation materials • Reduces environmental impact by utilizing renewable fungal sources • Creates value from agricultural and food industry waste products • Enables development of new eco-friendly consumer products

Background

Greener alternatives to synthetic polymers are being sought after. Chitin is a natural polysaccharide found in crustacean shells, insect exoskeletons, and fungal cell walls that provides structural support. Like cellulose, chitin exists as nanosized structural elements that can be isolated as nanofibers and nanocrystals through top-down approaches aimed at breaking down the native structure. While chitin has been overshadowed by cellulose in materials research, fungal chitin sources offer several advantages over crustacean sources, particularly in nanofiber isolation and preservation of beneficial β-glucans.

Objective

This perspective aims to analyze the true potential of chitin nanofibers compared to cellulose, with particular focus on chitin derived from fungal sources. The study examines the benefits of fungal chitin over conventional crustacean sources and evaluates its applications in nanocomposites, nanopapers and other materials.

Results

The study found that fungal chitin offers distinct advantages: it does not require acidic mineral removal like crustacean sources, enables simple nanofiber isolation with mild processing, and preserves beneficial β-glucans that enhance material properties. Fungal chitin nanopapers showed superior tensile properties compared to crustacean equivalents due to the composite effect of preserved β-glucans. The research demonstrated potential applications in packaging materials, biomedical uses, and as alternatives to synthetic polymers.

Conclusion

Fungal chitin represents an overlooked but promising source for high-performance nanomaterials. Its easier processing requirements, preserved β-glucans, and superior mechanical properties make it an attractive alternative to crustacean chitin. The authors contend that fungal biorefinery as a source for advanced materials has been neglected and that fungal chitin nanofibers will become a major source of reinforcement for sustainable biobased composites in the 21st century.
  • Published in:Biomacromolecules,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01141
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