Chitosan in nanostructured thin films

This review paper brings an overview of the use of chitosans in nanostructured films produced with the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) or the electrostatic layer-by-layer (LbL) techniques, with emphasis on their possible applications. From a survey in the literature one may identify three main types of study with chitosan in nanostructured films. First, the interaction between chitosans and phospholipid Langmuir monolayers has been investigated for probing the mechanisms of chitosan action in their biological applications, with the monolayers serving as cell membrane models. In the second type, chitosan serves as a matrix for immobilization of biomolecules in LB as well as in LbL films, for which chitosan is suitable to help preserve the bioactivity of such biomolecules for long periods of time even in dry, solid films. An important application of these chitosan-containing films is in sensing and biosensing. The third type of study involves exploiting the mechanical and biocompatibility properties of chitosan in producing films with enhanced properties, for example, for tissue engineering. It is emphasized that chitosans have been proven excellent building blocks to produce films with controlled molecular architecture, allowing for synergy between distinct materials. We also discuss the prospects of the field, following a critical review of the latest developments in nanostructured chitosan films.