Chitin and chitosan-based bionanocomposites

Chitosan, a natural biopolymer obtained from the deacetylation of chitin, the second most common biopolymer present on the earth. The easy availability and functionality prove chitosan to be a potential candidate in the advanced field. Chitosan can act itself as a precursor or carrier for medical applications such as drug delivery, gene delivery, and wound healing. With the advancement in science technology, it was clearly observed that the amine groups present in chitosan are responsible for various properties such as antimicrobial activity, stability in a wide pH range, controlled drug release, cationic nature, and mucoadhesion. There are various forms of chitosan, such as nanofibers, nanoparticles, nanocomposites, chitosan beads, and chitosan films, etc. This chapter discusses chitosan bionanocomposites, synthesis, and applications in various fields.