Biopolymers based on starch and chitosan are gaining popularity due to their high biocompatibility and hypoallergenicity. According to Lobachevsky University scientists, the developed sample is able to become a new eco-trend and replace foreign analogues. 

“Packaging made from such a biopolymer is similar to soft foam, while it is completely biodegradable. The composite is being processed in less than a month under the influence of the most common mold fungus, which makes the new material an environmentally friendly alternative to polystyrene and will help to reduce plastic waste, ”said Yekaterina Kachalova, co-author of the development, postgraduate student of the Department of Macromolecular Compounds and Colloidal Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, UNNN.

Scientists patented the technology for the synthesis of starch and chitosan in 2023. Modified starch and acid-dissolved chitosan are combined with a cross-linking agent, such as formaldehyde, and they are foamed. By controlling the process at different stages, it is possible to create materials with desired properties.

Thus, having made the composition durable and insoluble in water, UNNN chemists obtained a sorbent for industrial purification of water from metal and non-metal ions. The material may be reused, ensuring not only safe disposal, but also more economical production.

According to the scientists, depending on the synthesis conditions, starch and chitosan can also be used to make absorbent medical materials, water-retaining agents for agriculture, and nutrient media for growing plants without soils.