Abstract
Natural polymers have emerged as promising candidates for the sustainable development of materials in areas ranging from food packaging and biomedicine to energy storage and electronics. In tandem, there is a growing interest in the design of advanced materials devised from naturally abundant and renewable feedstocks, in alignment with the principles of Green Chemistry and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This review aims to highlight some examples of the research efforts conducted at the Research Team BioPol4fun, Innovation in BioPolymer-based Functional Materials and Bioactive Compounds, from the Portuguese Associate Laboratory CICECO–Aveiro Institute of Materials at the University of Aveiro, regarding the exploitation of natural polymers (and derivatives thereof) for the development of distinct sustainable biobased materials. In particular, focus will be given to the use of polysaccharides (cellulose, chitosan, pullulan, hyaluronic acid, fucoidan, alginate, and agar) and proteins (lysozyme and gelatin) for the assembly of composites, coatings, films, membranes, patches, nanosystems, and microneedles using environmentally friendly strategies, and to address their main domains of application.
Highlights
Natural polymers, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids, are components of biological systems responsible for performing a wide range of essential functions [1]
Biobased nanofibrils obtained from polysaccharides, such as cellulose and proteins, display excellent mechanical strength and are commonly derivative containing fluorescein isothiocyanate [69] on the surface of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs)
Biobased nanofibrils obtained from polysaccharides, such as cellulose and proteins, display excellent mechanical strength and are commonly employed as reinforcement agents to improve the mechanical properties of materials [98,108,113]
Summary
Natural polymers, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids, are components of biological systems responsible for performing a wide range of essential functions [1]. The use of sustainable raw materials has become one of the fundamental goals of Green Chemistry and is described in the original set of twelve rules known as “The Twelve Principles of Green Chemistry” [30], which are set out in detail in a review by Anastas and Eghbali [31]. This mindset has been supported by the enforcement of environmental regulations, such as the Pollution
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
