KEYWORDS: Chitosan, surfactant, emulsion, delivery, ethoxylated fatty acids.A
ABSTRACT: In this brief review, the behavior of chitosan in combination with oppositely charged anionic surfactants is examined. Chitosan is a biopolymer with unique properties which is increasingly attracting the interests from both academia and industry. The goal is to highlight the strengths and potentials of these mixtures, but also their weaknesses and limitations. In particular, chitosan mixtures with strong anionic sulfated surfactants, fatty acids and ethoxylated fatty acids are described. In all cases, in addition to the description of the resulting structures and the actual and possible applications, the driving forces governing the self-assembly process are mentioned. This basic and comprehensive set of information will help improving and developing new chitosan-based formulations in the different fields where this biopolymer is becoming a unique component.

INTRODUCTION

Mixtures of ionic and non-ionic polysaccharides and surfactants are becoming incre ...
...