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Bai L, Liu L, Esquivel M, Tardy BL, Huan S, Niu X, Liu S, Yang G, Fan Y, Rojas OJ. Nanochitin: Chemistry, Structure, Assembly, and Applications. Chem Rev 2022; 122:11604-11674. [PMID: 35653785 PMCID: PMC9284562 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Chitin, a fascinating biopolymer found in living organisms, fulfills current demands of availability, sustainability, biocompatibility, biodegradability, functionality, and renewability. A feature of chitin is its ability to structure into hierarchical assemblies, spanning the nano- and macroscales, imparting toughness and resistance (chemical, biological, among others) to multicomponent materials as well as adding adaptability, tunability, and versatility. Retaining the inherent structural characteristics of chitin and its colloidal features in dispersed media has been central to its use, considering it as a building block for the construction of emerging materials. Top-down chitin designs have been reported and differentiate from the traditional molecular-level, bottom-up synthesis and assembly for material development. Such topics are the focus of this Review, which also covers the origins and biological characteristics of chitin and their influence on the morphological and physical-chemical properties. We discuss recent achievements in the isolation, deconstruction, and fractionation of chitin nanostructures of varying axial aspects (nanofibrils and nanorods) along with methods for their modification and assembly into functional materials. We highlight the role of nanochitin in its native architecture and as a component of materials subjected to multiscale interactions, leading to highly dynamic and functional structures. We introduce the most recent advances in the applications of nanochitin-derived materials and industrialization efforts, following green manufacturing principles. Finally, we offer a critical perspective about the adoption of nanochitin in the context of advanced, sustainable materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Bai
- Key
Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology (Ministry
of Education), Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, P.R. China
- Bioproducts
Institute, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Department
of Chemistry, and Department of Wood Science, 2360 East Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Liang Liu
- Jiangsu
Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest
Resources, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-Based Green Fuel and Chemicals,
College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing
Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, P.R. China
| | - Marianelly Esquivel
- Polymer
Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, National University of Costa Rica, Heredia 3000, Costa Rica
| | - Blaise L. Tardy
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Siqi Huan
- Key
Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology (Ministry
of Education), Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, P.R. China
- Bioproducts
Institute, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Department
of Chemistry, and Department of Wood Science, 2360 East Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Xun Niu
- Bioproducts
Institute, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Department
of Chemistry, and Department of Wood Science, 2360 East Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Shouxin Liu
- Key
Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science & Technology (Ministry
of Education), Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, P.R. China
| | - Guihua Yang
- State
Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of
Sciences, Jinan 250353, China
| | - Yimin Fan
- Jiangsu
Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest
Resources, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-Based Green Fuel and Chemicals,
College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing
Forestry University, 159 Longpan Road, Nanjing 210037, P.R. China
| | - Orlando J. Rojas
- Bioproducts
Institute, Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Department
of Chemistry, and Department of Wood Science, 2360 East Mall, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
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Jin T, Liu T, Lam E, Moores A. Chitin and chitosan on the nanoscale. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2021; 6:505-542. [PMID: 34017971 DOI: 10.1039/d0nh00696c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In a matter of decades, nanomaterials from biomass, exemplified by nanocellulose, have rapidly transitioned from once being a subject of curiosity to an area of fervent research and development, now reaching the stages of commercialization and industrial relevance. Nanoscale chitin and chitosan, on the other hand, have only recently begun to raise interest. Attractive features such as excellent biocompatibility, antibacterial activity, immunogenicity, as well as the tuneable handles of their acetylamide (chitin) or primary amino (chitosan) functionalities indeed display promise in areas such as biomedical devices, catalysis, therapeutics, and more. Herein, we review recent progress in the fabrication and development of these bio-nanomaterials, describe in detail their properties, and discuss the initial successes in their applications. Comparisons are made to the dominant nanocelluose to highlight some of the inherent advantages that nanochitin and nanochitosan may possess in similar application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Jin
- Center in Green Chemistry and Catalysis, Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada.
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