Polysaccharide based bionanocomposites, properties and applications: A review

Bio-nanocomposites, composed of biopolymers and inorganic solids, show dimensions in the nanometer range (1–100 nm) which can be widely used in variety of areas owing to multidimensional properties like biocompatibility, antimicrobial activity and biodegradability. Considering these versatile properties of the bio-nanocomposites this review sheds a light on the synthesis, modification, characterization and applications of bio-nanocomposites based on different polysaccharides functionalized by different nanofillers such as MMT, Ag, SiO2, TiO2, and ZnO. Most of them have been used in regenerative medicine, drug delivery, tissue engineering, electronics and food packaging. The modification of clays with biopolymers results an attractive alternative in the development of environmentally friendly materials for pollutants removal. All the technical scientific issues have been addressed highlighting the recent advancement.