This book presents a detailed examination of the recent biotechnological advances in chitin and chitosan-based biocomposites, highlighting their preparation, characterization, and wide-ranging applications. It offers a thorough exploration of how these biopolymers are revolutionizing fields such as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery, with chapters dedicated to nanocomposites, chitin and chitosan whiskers, and their applications in food packaging, energy, and therapeutics.

The chapters cover essential topics such as the biotechnological extraction of chitin from shrimp shells, the preparation and characterization of chitin and chitosan whiskers, and their integration into rubber, thermoplastic, and thermoset blends. The book also investigates the therapeutic potential of chitin and chitosan derivatives, focusing on their roles in drug delivery systems, wound healing, and antimicrobial applications. Additionally, it explores the use of these biopolymers in energy applications, including fuel cell technology and supercapacitor electrode materials.

This comprehensive volume is designed for academics, researchers, and students in biochemistry, materials science, and biotechnology. It provides an in-depth understanding of the latest research and practical applications of chitin and chitosan, offering solutions to both fundamental and applied challenges. As a "one-stop" reference, it is an invaluable resource for those seeking to leverage the benefits of biodegradable and biocompatible composites in various scientific and industrial domains.

Autorentext

**Dr. Visakh P.M. (MSc, MPhil, PhD) is a prolific editor with more than 50 books already published. Currently he is working in the Natural Bioactive Materials Laboratory Department of Bioengineering, Ege University, Bornova/Izmir, Turkey. He was working as Associate Professor in TUSUR University, Tomsk, Russia from 2017 till 2022. He did his Post doc. Research in Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk, Russia (2014-2017). He obtained his PhD, MPhil and MSc degrees from School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India. He has been invited as a visiting researcher in Russia (2014 to 2022), Portugal (2013, 2014), Czech Republic (2012, 2013) Italy (2009, 2012), Argentina (2010) Sweden (2010, 2011, 2012), Switzerland (2010), Spain (2011, 2012), Slovenia (2011), France (2011), Belgium (2012) and Austria (2012) for his research work.

**Prof. Oguz Bayraktar received his Bachelor's degree from Ege University, Chemical Engineering Department in 1993. He received Master's and Doctorate degrees from West Virginia University in the United States. In 2001, he started to work as an Assistant Professor at the Izmir Institute of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering. In 2006, he received the title of Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He received the title of Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering in 2012 and worked as a faculty member at the Izmir Institute of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering. He worked as a Professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering at Ege University between 2014 and 2020. In 2022, he established the NATCO Ltd. start-up company. He is currently working as a Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Ege University. His fields of study are x biotechnology and bioengineering, and he actively continues his research in the interdisciplinary fields. Determination of biological activities of natural compounds obtained from plants, isolation, purification, production, bioconversion of natural compounds, cosmetics, and functional food applications are among his main interests.