LAUSR

Biomass-originated materials are the future's next-tier polymers. This work suggests improving mechanical and barrier properties of nature-sourced polymers using non-covalent supramolecular interactions. Polysaccharide chitosan was modified with amino acids via an esterification pathway using a systematic variation of hydrogen bond and aromatic domains (Degrees of substitution 12-49%). These controlled modifications improved stability due to non-covalent interactions, resulting in biopolymers with tailored thermal (decomposition temperature 232-275 °C), mechanical (Young's modulus 540-2667 MPa), and surface properties (roughness 4-40 nm). We purposely selected chitosan and natural amino acids that are already manufactured at scale. The facile synthesis, controlled properties, stimuli-responsive potential, and inexhaustible origin of the raw materials provide the presented findings with the potential to become the method for the formation of high-performance biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-based polymers that can be used in packaging, food, agriculture, and medicine. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.