Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are appealing nanomaterials for (bio)medical applications and their potential is threefold. One can gain advantage of the structure of LDH frame (i.e., layered morphology), anion exchanging property towards drugs with acidic character and tendency for facile surface modification with biopolymers. This review focuses on the third aspect, as it is necessary to evaluate the advantages of polymer adsorption on LDH surfaces. Beside the short discussion on fundamental and structural features of LDHs, LDH-biopolymer interactions will be classified in terms of the effect on the colloidal stability of the dispersions. Thereafter, an overview on the biocompatibility and biomedical applications of LDH-biopolymer composite materials will be given. Finally, the advances made in the field will be summarized and future research directions will be suggested.

Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science University of Szeged Rerrich Béla tér 1 Szeged 6720 Hungary

Department of Physics and John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Harvard University Cambridge MA 02138 USA; BioSense Institute University of Novi Sad Dr Zorana Djindjica 1 Novi Sad 21000 Serbia

Department of Solid State Chemistry University of Chemistry and Technology Technická 1905 5 Prague 16628 Czech Republic

MTA SZTE Lendület Biocolloids Research Group University of Szeged Rerrich Béla tér 1 Szeged 6720 Hungary; Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science University of Szeged Rerrich Béla tér 1 Szeged 6720 Hungary

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