The book summarizes in a comprehensive manner many of the recent technical research accomplishments in the area of natural polymers. It discusses the various attempts reporting on solving this problem from the point of view of the chemistry and the structure of natural polymers, highlighting the drawbacks and advantages of each method and proposal. Based on considerations of structure - property relations, it is possible to obtain fibers with improved strength by making use of their nanostructures and/or mesophase properties of natural polymers. The book is a unique book with contributions from the experts of the biomaterial area research. it covers all topics related to natural biomaterials such as natural rubber, cellulose, chitin, starch, hemicellulose, lignin, alginates, soy protein, casein and their bionanocomposites and applications. This book is a useful reference for scientists, academicians, research scholars and biotechnologists.

Hydrogels Based on Natural Polymers presents the latest research on natural polymer-based hydrogels, covering fundamentals, preparation methods, synthetic pathways, advanced properties, major application areas, and novel characterization techniques. The advantages and disadvantages of each natural polymer-based hydrogel are also discussed, enabling preparation tactics for specific properties and applications. Sections cover fundamentals, development, characteristics, structures and properties. Additional chapters cover presentation methods and properties based on natural polymers, including physical and chemical properties, stimuli-responsive properties, self-healing properties, and biological properties. The final section presents major applications areas, including the biomedical field, agriculture, water treatments, and the food industry. This is a highly valuable resource for academic researchers, scientists and advanced students working with hydrogels and natural polymers, as well as across the fields of polymer science, polymer chemistry, plastics engineering, biopolymers and biomaterials. The detailed information will also be of great interest to scientists and R&D professionals, product designers, technicians and engineers across industries. - Provides systematic coverage of all aspects of hydrogels based on natural polymers, including fundamentals, preparation methods, properties and characterization - Offers a balanced assessment of the specific properties and possibilities offered by different natural polymer-based hydrogels, drawing on innovative research - Examines cutting-edge applications across biomedicine, agriculture, water treatments, and the food industry

Since the introduction of FT-NMR spectroscopy around five decades ago, NMR has achieved significant advances in hardware and methodologies, accompanied with the enhancement of spectral resolution and signal sensitivity. Rapid developments in the polymers field mean that accurate and quantitative characterization of polymer structures and dynamics is the keystone for precisely regulating and controlling the physical and chemical properties of the polymer. This book specifically focuses on NMR investigation of complex polymers for the polymer community as well as NMR spectroscopists, and will push the development of both fields. It covers the latest advances, for example high field DNP and ultrafast MAS methodologies, and show how these novel NMR methods characterize various synthetic and natural polymers.

The book Natural Polymers: Derivatives, Blends and Composites Volume II is an edited volume comprised of fifteen chapters from different experts working in the area of natural polymers. Natural polymers are finding applications in fields of packaging, medicine, pharmaceutics, biomedicine, textiles and many others. This book gives detailed insight into all aspects of natural polymers to the latest trends in the development of new products. This book will hopefully be supportive to scientists, researchers, academicians and students in different disciplines. Key features: 1. Describes various derivatives of natural polymers (ie: composites, nanoparticles, hydrogels, etc.); 2. Self-contained chapters on starch, chitosan, alginate, bovine serum albumin, among others; 3. Covers a broad range of natural polymer applications, from packaging to biomedicine.

"In the search for sustainable materials, natural polymers present an attractive alternative for many applications compared to their synthetic counterparts derived from petrochemicals. The two volume set, Natural Polymers, covers the synthesis, characterisation and applications of key natural polymeric systems including their morphology, structure, dynamics and properties. Volume one focuses on natural polymer composites, including both natural and protein fibres, and volume two on natural polymer nanocomposites. The first volume examines the characterization, life cycle assessment and new sources of natural fibres and their potential as a replacement for synthetic fibres in industrial applications. It then explores the important advancements in the field of wool, silk, spidersilk and mussel byssus fibres. The second volume looks at the properties and characterization of cellulose, chitosan, furanic, starch, wool and silk nanocomposites and the potential industrial applications of natural polymer nanocomposites"-- Provided by publisher.

Natural Polymers, Biopolymers, Biomaterials, and Their Composites, Blends, and IPNs focuses on the recent advances in natural polymers, biopolymers, biomaterials, and their composites, blends, and IPNs. Biobased polymer blends and composites occupy a unique position in the dynamic world of new biomaterials. The growing need for lubricious coatings and surfaces in medical devices—an outcome of the move from invasive to noninvasive medicines/procedures—is playing a major role in the advancement of biomaterials technology. Natural polymers have attained their cutting-edge technology through various platforms, yet there is a lot of novel information about them that is discussed in the book. This important work covers topics such as chitosan composites for biomedical applications and wastewater treatment, coal biotechnology, biomedical and related applications of second generation polyamidoamines, silk fibers, PEG hydrogels, bamboo fiber reinforced PE composites, jute/polyester composites, magnetic biofoams, and many other interesting aspects of importance to polymer research today.

Polymers are important and attractive biomaterials for researchers and clinical applications due to the ease of tailoring their chemical, physical and biological properties for target devices. Due to this versatility they are rapidly replacing other classes of biomaterials such as ceramics or metals. As a result, the demand for biomedical polymers has grown exponentially and supports a diverse and highly monetized research community. Currently worth $1.2bn in 2009 (up from $650m in 2000), biomedical polymers are expected to achieve a CAGR of 9.8% until 2015, supporting a current research community of approximately 28,000+. Summarizing the main advances in biopolymer development of the last decades, this work systematically covers both the physical science and biomedical engineering of the multidisciplinary field. Coverage extends across synthesis, characterization, design consideration and biomedical applications. The work supports scientists researching the formulation of novel polymers with desirable physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties for specific targeted biomedical applications. - Combines chemistry, biology and engineering for expert and appropriate integration of design and engineering of polymeric biomaterials - Physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical and degradation properties alongside currently deployed clinical applications of specific biomaterials aids use as single source reference on field. - 15+ case studies provides in-depth analysis of currently used polymeric biomaterials, aiding design considerations for the future

This book introduces the most recent innovations in natural polymer applications in the food, construction, electronics, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and engineering industries. The authors provide perspectives from their respective range of industries covering classification, extraction, modification, and application of natural polymers from various sources in nature. They discuss the techniques used in analysis of natural polymers in various systems incorporating natural polymers as well as their intrinsic properties.

Natural Polymers in Wound Healing and Repair: From Basic Concepts to Emerging Trends presents comprehensive coverage on the development and application of natural polymers in wound healing and repair, including fundamental concepts, traditional approaches, cutting-edge methods and emerging trends. The application of natural polymers has evolved from their use in the simplest wound management material, to drug eluting matrices, to cell-laden constructs, and to 3D bio-printed skin equivalents. This book reflects the remarkable progress that has been made in recent years in this innovative field. This is an essential resource for researchers, scientists, and advanced students across polymer science, biomaterials, bio-based and sustainable materials, biomedicine, biomedical engineering, pharmaceuticals, and materials science and engineering. It will also be valuable to R&D professionals, scientists, technologists and all those working in a medical setting who are interested in the latest developments in advanced materials for wound management, healing and repair. - Provides up-to-date coverage of natural polymer-based biomaterials in wound healing and repair, covering sources, processing and properties - Describes cellular and molecular events in wound healing - Introduces conventional and advanced methodologies for wound management - Offers a comprehensive understanding of state-of-the-art and emerging concepts in wound healing, including drug-eluting matrices, cell-laden systems and personalized bio-fabrication strategies

Polymer Science and Nanotechnology: Fundamentals and Applications brings together the latest advances in polymer science and nanoscience. Sections explain the fundamentals of polymer science, including key aspects and methods in terms of molecular structure, synthesis, characterization, microstructure, phase structure and processing and properties before discussing the materials of particular interest and utility for novel applications, such as hydrogels, natural polymers, smart polymers and polymeric biomaterials. The second part of the book examines essential techniques in nanotechnology, with an emphasis on the utilization of advanced polymeric materials in the context of nanoscience. Throughout the book, chapters are prepared so that materials and products can be geared towards specific applications. Two chapters cover, in detail, major application areas, including fuel and solar cells, tissue engineering, drug and gene delivery, membranes, water treatment and oil recovery. - Presents the latest applications of polymers and polymeric nanomaterials, across energy, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and environmental fields - Contains detailed coverage of polymer nanocomposites, polymer nanoparticles, and hybrid polymer-metallic nanoparticles - Supports an interdisciplinary approach, enabling readers from different disciplines to understand polymer science and nanotechnology and the interface between them