Polysaccharide of moving animals. Cellulose and chitin are examples of structural polysaccharides. Cellulose is used in the cell walls of plants and other organisms, and is said to be the most abundant organic molecule on Earth. It has many uses such as a significant role in the paper and textile industries, and is used as a feedstock for the production of rayon (via the viscose process), cellulose acetate, celluloid, and nitrocellulose. Chitin has a similar structure, but has nitrogen-containing side branches, increasing its strength. It is found in arthropod exoskeletons and in the cell walls of some fungi. It also has
Antimicrobial polymer Antimicrobial polymer Antimicrobial polymers, also known as polymeric biocides, is a class of polymers with antimicrobial activity, or the ability to inhibit the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi or protozoans. These polymers have been engineered to mimic antimicrobial peptides which are used by the immune systems of living things to kill bacteria. Typically, antimicrobial polymers are produced by attaching or inserting an active antimicrobial agent onto a polymer backbone via an alkyl or acetyl linker. Antimicrobial polymers may enhance the efficiency and selectivity of currently used antimicrobial agents, while decreasing associated environmental hazards because antimicrobial polymers are generally