Facile and Green Synthesis of Chitosan-Based Microcapsules: Bridging Organic and Polymer Chemistry for Sustainable Biocidal Applications

Abstract

A facile and eco-friendly synthesis approach was developed to fabricate chitosan-based microcapsules for the encapsulation and controlled release of commercial eucalyptus essential oil. The process relies on a mild emulsification and ionic gelation method, ensuring high efficiency, minimal energy consumption, and possible scalable production. Comprehensive structural and physicochemical characterization confirmed strong polymer-oil interactions, facilitating enhanced stability, controlled diffusion, and biocidal activity. The microcapsules exhibited potent antifungal properties, highlighting their potential for sustainable pathogen control in agricultural and environmental applications. This strategy bridges organic and polymer chemistry, leveraging green chemistry principles to develop biopolymeric carriers with optimized encapsulation efficiency and release kinetics. By integrating an exceptionally simple yet effective fabrication process with demonstrated functional performance, this work contributes to next-generation eco-friendly biocidal formulations and expands the application of biopolymers in green synthesis.