Description
Global warming, the mounting awareness of environmental and waste management concerns, decreasing fossil resources, and increasing oil prices: these are some of the reasons why bio-products are increasingly being promoted for viable development. Polymeric biomaterials have significant impact in the aged society. Biocompatible and biodegradable polymers have emerged during the past decades to deliver astonishing innovations in a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices. Understanding and controlling the interfacial interactions of the polymeric biomaterials with biological elements, such as water, ions, proteins, bacteria, fungi and cells, are essential toward their successful implementation in biomedical applications.
This novel edition ‘Biodegradable and Biocompatible Polymer Composites’ is focused on biodegradable polymers and biocomposites, describes specific and innovative developments concerning environmental-friendly biodegradable polymers and composites carried out in recent years, based on several reviewed research and case studies.
Design and functionalization strategies for multifunctional nanocarriers (e.g., nanoparticles, micelles, polymersomes) based on biodegradable/biocompatible polymers intended to be employed for various fields are reviewed. Processing techniques for various macro and nanocomposite systems and the influence of processing parameters on properties of the composite are also reviewed in detail. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in interest in biodegradable materials for use in packaging, agriculture, medicine, and other areas. In particular, polymer biocomposites are of interest. Polymers form the backbones of plastic materials, and are constantly being utilized in a variety of fields. Consequently, many researchers are investing time into modifying traditional materials to make them more user-friendly, and into designing novel polymer composites out of naturally occurring materials.
