Advances in chitin-based nanoparticle use in biodegradable polymers: A review

Chitin-based nanoparticles are polysaccharide materials that can be produced from a waste stream of the seafood industry: crustacean shells. These nanoparticles have received exponentially growing attention, especially in the field of medicine and agriculture owing to their renewable origin, biodegradability, facile modification, and functionality adjustment. Due to their exceptional mechanical strength and high surface area, chitin-based nanoparticles are ideal candidates for reinforcing biodegradable plastics to ultimately replace traditional plas-tics. This review discusses the preparation methods for chitin-based nanoparticles and their applications. Special focus is on biodegradable plastics for food packaging making use of the features that can be created by the chitin -based nanoparticles.

Automated summary

Chitin-based nanoparticles, derived from crustacean shells, have gained significant attention due to their renewable origin, biodegradability, easy modification, and functional adaptability. With exceptional mechanical strength and large surface area, these nanoparticles are promising candidates for reinforcing biodegradable plastics as alternatives to traditional plastics. This review focuses on the preparation methods and applications of chitin-based nanoparticles, particularly in the production of biodegradable plastics for food packaging.