Preparation of novel chitosan-based bionanocomposites and determination of their biological properities

In this thesis, various bionanocomposites were prepared by combining chitosan (CS), known for its biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity, with POTFAMA, a newly synthesized biopolymer, and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) biosynthesized using plant extract. The nanomaterials synthesized via the hydrothermal method were thoroughly analyzed in terms of their structural, morphological, and biological properties. ZnO nanoparticles were incorporated into the POTFAMA–CS matrix at concentrations of 3%, 5%, and 7%, and their antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, cytotoxic effects, and wound healing potentials were evaluated. The findings demonstrated that the POTFAMA–CS structure exhibited strong antifungal activity, particularly against Candida albicans, and showed enhanced DPPH radical scavenging capacity. In an in vitro wound healing model, POTFAMA (17.51%) and POTFAMA–CS (15.51%) samples achieved higher wound closure rates compared to pure CS (13.61%). In particular, the composite containing 3% ZnO was found to be highly effective in terms of biological performance. These results indicate that CS–POTFAMA–ZnO-based nanocomposites, owing to their eco-friendly nature and biological activities, are promising materials for applications such as wound healing and biomedical coatings.