chitosan

polymer

Chitosan is a natural biopolymer derived from chitin (found in crustacean shells and fungal cell walls), typically produced by deacetylation of chitin. It is a cationic polysaccharide with tunable properties depending on degree of deacetylation and molecular weight, making it attractive for applications requiring biodegradability and biocompatibility alongside moderate mechanical strength. The material is widely used in biomedical devices, water treatment, food processing, and cosmetics due to its antimicrobial properties, ability to form films and fibers, and compatibility with biological systems; compared to synthetic polymers, chitosan offers environmental sustainability and reduced toxicity, though it requires careful moisture management and has lower thermal stability than many conventional engineering plastics.

biomedical implants and wound dressingswater purification and wastewater treatmentfood packaging and preservationcosmetics and personal care formulationstissue engineering scaffoldsantimicrobial coatings

Compliance & Regulations

?UL 94?Conflict Free?RoHS?REACH?TSCA?Prop 65
Units:
siimperial
PropertyValueUnitConditionsSource
Compressive Strength(σc)
—
ksi——
Elongation at Break(εf)
—
-——
Flexural Strength (MOR)(σf)
—
ksi——
Hardness (Vickers)(HV)
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HV——
Ultimate Tensile Strength(σUTS)
—
ksi——
Young's Modulus(E)
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ksi——
Verified Unverified Low confidence (<80%) Link to source
PropertyValueUnitConditionsSource
Glass Transition Temperature(Tg)
—
°F——
Melting Point / Solidus(Tm)
—
°F——
Maximum Service Temperature(Tmax)
—
°F——
Thermal Conductivity(k)
—
BTU/(hr·ft·°F)——
Verified Unverified Low confidence (<80%) Link to source
PropertyValueUnitConditionsSource
Band Gap(Eg)
—
eV——
Verified Unverified Low confidence (<80%) Link to source
PropertyValueUnitConditionsSource
Refractive Index(n)
—
-——
Verified Unverified Low confidence (<80%) Link to source

Regulatory Screening

Environmental

Safety & Biocompatibility

RoHS, REACH, and Prop 65 statuses are validated against official substance lists (ECHA SVHC Candidate List, OEHHA Prop 65, RoHS Annex II). Other regulations are estimated from composition and material classification. All screening is a starting point for due diligence — always verify with your supplier before making compliance decisions.