Carbohydrate polymer derived nanocomposites: design, features and potential for biomedical applications

ABSTRACT

Because of unique structural and physicochemical characteristics (low cost, processable, renewable, hydrophilic, bio-miscible, ecological friendly), carbohydrate polymers or polysaccharides have found promising applications in biomedical field. Common carbohydrate matrices used for nanocomposites formation include chitosan, cellulose, starch, alginate, dextrin, galactose, and derived polymers. This review emphasis design and existing/emerging technologies of carbohydrate polymeric nanocomposites. Carbohydrate polymeric nanocomposites have been developed using nanocarbons (graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotube), metal nanoparticles (metal, metal oxide), and inorganic nanofillers. The interactions in matrix-nanofiller develop synergistic effects to function in desired biomedical applications such as biosensing, antibacterial, wound healing, tissue engineering, and drug delivery systems.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Carbohydrate polymer
• nanocomposite
• graphene
• biosensing
• antibacterial
• tissue engineering

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

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Notes on contributors

Ayesha Kausar

Ayesha Kausar works for National Centre for Physics, Islamabad, Pakistan. She previously worked for Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan and National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan. She obtained her PhD from Quaid-i-Azam University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea. Dr. Kausar’s current research interests include the design, fabrication, characterization, and exploration of structure-property relationships and potential prospects of nanocomposites, polymeric nanocomposites, polymeric composites, polymeric nanoparticles, polymer dots, nanocarbon materials (graphene and derivatives, carbon nanotube, nanodiamond, graphene, carbon nano-onion, carbon nanocoil, carbon nanobelt, carbon nanodisk, carbon dot, and other nanocarbons), hybrid materials, eco-friendly materials, nanocomposite nanofibers, and nano-foam architectures. Consideration of morphological, mechanical, thermal, electrical, anti-corrosion, barrier, flame retardant, radiation shielding, biomedical, and other essential materials properties for aerospace, automotive, fuel cell membranes, Li-ion battery electrodes, electronics, sensors, solar cells, water treatment, gas separation, textiles, energy production and storage devices, biomaterials, and other technical relevance are among her notable research concerns.