Novel materials based on chitosan and cellulose

This review provides a brief overview of the recent research efforts carried out at the CICECO laboratory of the University of Aveiro on novel materials based on chitosan within the background of previous investigations of similar counterparts. Most of this work is devoted to different modes of combining chitosans of various molecular weights and degrees of deacetylation (including appropriately modified chitosans providing either fluorescent properties or water solubility) with cellulose fibres of various sizes (standard to nanosize), morphologies (conventional papers, nanofibrillated or bacterial strands) and assemblies (composites or paper coating and impregnation). Additionally, the radical transformation of chitin and chitosan low-quality residues into viscous polyols by a straightforward oxypropylation is also discussed. The results of these investigations show the remarkable potential of chitosan as a source of promising blends and composites, among other novel materials. (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry