Closing Editorial: Advances in Chitin and Chitosan-Based Materials: Preparation and Applications
1
Institute of Petrochemistry, Heilongjiang Academy of Sciences, Harbin 150040, China
2
State Key Laboratory of Woody Oil Resources Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Polymers 2025, 17(15), 2060; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152060
Submission received: 12 July 2025
/
Accepted: 24 July 2025
/
Published: 28 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances of Chitin and Chitosan-Based Materials: Preparation and Applications)
1. Introduction
Chitin and chitosan-based materials are widely used and researched in healthcare, pharmaceutical, biomedical engineering, and related fields due to their biological activity. This Special Issue focuses on the preparation and application of materials based on chitin and chitosan, with the aim of presenting the latest research advances in biomedical applications and highlighting the potential for further innovative research. This Special Issue showcases the potential of chitin and chitosan-based materials by examining innovative approaches to maximize their structural, physical–chemical, and bioactive qualities.
2. An Overview of the Published Articles
The Special Issue highlights the potential uses of chitin and chitosan-based materials in biomedical, pharmaceutical, and sustainable practices and related fields. Liao et al. prepared a class of multifunctional chitosan-based hydrogels through dual cross-linking with borate esters and hydrogen bonds, achieving glucose-sensitive controlled release, providing a new method for the design of polysaccharide-based hydrogels [1]. Zhou et al. designed a flexible, low-cost, biomimetic spiral hollow bacterial cellulose-chitosan fibre, which could be an attractive candidate to replace other petroleum-based sutures [2].
Li et al. developed an emulsion carrying thyme essential oil via inducing cross-linking of chitosan particles through hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. This emulsion has great potential for prolonging the storage life of strawberries [3]. Shi et al. prepared a hydrogel using chitosan and coumarin as raw materials for the controlled release of taxifolin [4]. Zhang et al. prepared chitosan-based Janus nanofiber membranes as wound dressings, which have vast potential applications in skin tissue engineering [5]. Blanzeanu et al. used extrusion moulding to prepare composite blends of chitosan, providing a sustainability–recycling-based approach to converting seafood waste into cutting-edge functional materials [6].
Li et al. summarize the state-of-the-art developments in chitosan-based dressing materials, highlighting the benefits in burn–wound treatment and examining the key challenges and potential future directions for chitosan-based dressing materials. This mini-review provides a new viewpoint on the evolution of wound dressings for burn care [7].
Zhou et al. provide a broad overview of chitosan extraction and modification technologies, with a focus on their applications in environment, energy, and biomedicine. It uses a novel classification framework to provide readers with the most detailed analysis for a systematic understanding of the latest research progress [8].
Together, these eight articles showcase the versatility of chitosan materials and discuss potential preparations and applications, touching upon the variety of ways in which they could be used in many fields, ranging from environmental sustainability to medical therapeutics.
3. Conclusions
The breadth of chitosan-based technologies and their potential to solve practical problems are highlighted in this Special Issue. From sophisticated biomedical systems to ecofriendly preservation solutions, together, these studies emphasize the versatility, biodegradability, and efficacy chitin and chitosan. As research progresses, further optimization of chitin and chitosan properties may result in more relevant and effective applications in industrial and clinical settings.
Funding
This research received no external funding.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
References
- Liao, X.Y.; Feng, X.Y.; Xiao, Z.Y.; Williams, G.R.; Huang, X.Z.; Shi, Y.Y.; Qin, H.; Liu, Y. Multifunctional phenylboric acid modified carboxymethyl chitosan based hydrogel crosslinked by tannic acid. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2025, 304, 140958. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Zhou, Y.T.; Liu, X.T.; Yang, M.; Song, G.H.; Wang, Y.T.; Sun, H.; Yuan, T.; Rao, J.; Lü, B.Z.; Yao, C.L.; et al. Bio-inspired helical-hollow bacterial cellulose fiber for suture materials. Chem. Eng. J. 2025, 505, 159670. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Li, H.Y.; Liu, M.Z.; Han, S.Y.; Hua, S.H.; Zhang, H.J.; Wang, J.; Xia, N.; Liu, Y.J.; Meng, D.K. Edible chitosan-based Pickering emulsion coatings: Preparation, characteristics, and application in strawberry preservation. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2024, 264, 130672. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Shi, H.L.; Ma, D.X.; Wu, D.; Qiu, X.; Yang, S.; Wang, Y.Y.; Xiao, L.; Ji, X.Y.; Zhang, W.; Han, S.Y.; et al. A pH-responsive, injectable and self-healing chitosan-coumarin hydrogel based on Schiff base and hydrogen bonds. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 2023, 255, 128122. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Zhang, W.; Guan, X.; Qiu, X.; Gao, T.H.; Yu, W.Y.; Zhang, M.Y.; Song, L.R.; Liu, D.; Dong, J.D.; Jiang, Z.X.; et al. Bioactive composite Janus nanofibrous membranes loading Ciprofloxacin and Astaxanthin for enhanced healing of full-thickness skin defect wounds. Appl. Surf. Sci. 2022, 610, 155290. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Blanzeanu, E.; Marin, M.; Verziu, M.N.; Dumitru, A.; Vasile, B.S.; Stavarache, C.; Cozorici, D.E.; Luque, R.; Zaharia, C.; Radu, I.C. Chitosan-polylactic acid composites: From seafood waste to advanced functional materials for 3D printing. Adv. Compos. Hybrid Mater. 2025, 8, 1. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Li, S.Y.; Pan, W.L.; Zhang, M.; Song, K.L.; Zhou, Z.Q.; Zhao, Q.L.; Li, G.Z.; Zhu, C.Y. Chitosan-Based Dressing Materials for Burn Wound Healing. Polymers 2025, 17, 1647. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Zhou, Y.Y.; Zhang, Y.; Nie, Y.X.; Sun, D.L.; Wu, D.Y.; Ban, L.; Zhang, H.; Yang, S.; Chen, J.S.; Du, H.S.; et al. Recent advances and perspectives in functional chitosan-based composites for environmental remediation, energy, and biomedical applications. Prog. Mater. Sci. 2025, 152, 101460. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
Kong, X.; Zhang, D. Closing Editorial: Advances in Chitin and Chitosan-Based Materials: Preparation and Applications. Polymers 2025, 17, 2060. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152060
AMA Style
Kong X, Zhang D. Closing Editorial: Advances in Chitin and Chitosan-Based Materials: Preparation and Applications. Polymers. 2025; 17(15):2060. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152060
Chicago/Turabian StyleKong, Xianzhi, and Dawei Zhang. 2025. "Closing Editorial: Advances in Chitin and Chitosan-Based Materials: Preparation and Applications" Polymers 17, no. 15: 2060. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152060
APA StyleKong, X., & Zhang, D. (2025). Closing Editorial: Advances in Chitin and Chitosan-Based Materials: Preparation and Applications. Polymers, 17(15), 2060. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152060
Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.
