Turning polysaccharides into hydrophobic materials: a critical review. Part 2. Hemicelluloses, chitin/chitosan, starch, pectin and alginates

This survey constitutes the second part of a comprehensive review, whose purpose is to provide a reasoned perspective on the field related to the preparation of new polysaccharide-based hydrophobic materials by scrutinizing the actual state of its art. After dealing with the major topic of cellulose hydrophobization in the first part, attention is now turned to the other important members of the polysaccharide families, namely hemicelluloses, chitin/chitosan, starch, pectin and alginates. Publications dealing with both chemical and physical treatments aimed at inducing a substantial increase in the hydrophobic character of their surface are critically examined within the broader context of the elaboration of novel materials based on renewable resources as a viable alternative to their fossil-based counterparts.