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Organic and soft materials (colloids, liquid crystals, gel, polymers)

Chitosan nanocomposites based on distinct inorganic fillers for biomedical applications

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Pages 626-643 | Received 17 May 2016, Accepted 22 Aug 2016, Published online: 10 Oct 2016
 

Abstract

Chitosan (CHI), a biocompatible and biodegradable polysaccharide with the ability to provide a non-protein matrix for tissue growth, is considered to be an ideal material in the biomedical field. However, the lack of good mechanical properties limits its applications. In order to overcome this drawback, CHI has been combined with different polymers and fillers, leading to a variety of chitosan-based nanocomposites. The extensive research on CHI nanocomposites as well as their main biomedical applications are reviewed in this paper. An overview of the different fillers and assembly techniques available to produce CHI nanocomposites is presented. Finally, the properties of such nanocomposites are discussed with particular focus on bone regeneration, drug delivery, wound healing and biosensing applications.

This article is part of the following collections:
Biomaterials

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.