ABSTRACT
The chitosan nanotechnology has been applied for immobilization of enzymes and in turn for biofuel production. This chapter discusses various chitosan nanomaterials and their production technologies as well as their role in biofuel production. Nanoparticles can enhance the strength of chitosan. Their small size and impact on quantum make them better alternatives for the preparation of nanomaterials. The major application of nanomaterials is to provide stability and enhanced activity of catalyst along with better reusability. Chitosan nanoparticles can be fabricated using cross-linking methods. Chitosan-coated magnetic nanoparticles were cross-linked to xylanase and cellulase and were characterized by a x-ray diffraction method. The major limitation of using enzymes for biofuel production is the high cost involved. The biofuel production process has been affected by shear stress that has, in turn, created a negative impact on immobilized lipases. The biofuel industry has employed the application of nanotechnology and nanomaterial for developing cost-effective and process efficient technology to improve biofuel production.
