Nanochitin: Chemistry, Structure, Assembly, and Applications

Author: mycolabadmin
2022-06-02
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Summary

This research examines nanochitin, a sustainable material derived from shellfish and other natural sources, and its potential applications in creating advanced materials. Nanochitin combines strength, flexibility and biocompatibility while being environmentally friendly. The study explores how this material can be processed and used in various applications from medical devices to packaging materials. Impacts on everyday life: • Development of stronger, more sustainable packaging materials to replace plastics • Creation of better wound dressings and tissue engineering materials for medical care • New water filtration and purification technologies using nanochitin materials • More environmentally friendly electronic components and batteries • Reduction of seafood industry waste by converting shells into valuable materials

Background

Chitin is an abundant biopolymer found in living organisms that fulfills current demands for availability, sustainability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, functionality, and renewability. A key feature is its ability to structure into hierarchical assemblies spanning nano- and macroscales, providing toughness, resistance, adaptability and versatility. Retaining chitin’s structural characteristics and colloidal features in dispersed media has been central to its use as a building block for emerging materials.

Objective

This review covers the origins and biological characteristics of chitin and their influence on morphological and physical-chemical properties. It discusses recent achievements in isolation, deconstruction and fractionation of chitin nanostructures along with methods for modification and assembly into functional materials. The review highlights nanochitin’s role in its native architecture and as a component of materials with multiscale interactions leading to dynamic structures.

Results

The review reveals that nanochitin can be isolated in two main forms – nanofibers and nanocrystals – with distinct properties based on processing methods. Assembly is governed by multiple forces acting at different scales, enabling creation of structured materials. Applications span biomedical, environmental, and materials fields, with emerging uses in tissue engineering, drug delivery, water treatment, and electronics.

Conclusion

Nanochitin shows great promise as a sustainable building block for advanced materials, though challenges remain in processing and performance optimization. Future work should focus on better understanding natural assembly mechanisms, developing green isolation processes, and expanding industrial applications while considering economic viability and consumer acceptance. The material has significant potential to enable progress toward a circular bioeconomy.

Published in:Chemical Reviews,
Study Type:Review,
Source: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00125