The book presents current R&D activities to unravel the
physico-chemical properties of diverse biopolymers, and their
processing towards functionalised, high-performance bio-products
with defined applications. The importance of this research becomes
obvious by considering the annual plastic production of about 330
Mt, the lion's share thereof based on the conversion of fossil
feedstocks that is highly recalcitrant against biodegradation.
Alternative environmentally degradable plastics cover not even 5%
of today's plastic market. Such biopolymers encompass various
macromolecules of biological origin with diverse monomeric
composition, and manifold physico-chemical properties. This
structural diversity makes them potential candidates to produce
bulk materials, e.g., for packaging purposes, smart functionalised
materials in special niches like the biomedical field.
Consequently, we witness an increasing trend towards new natural
polymers to replace well-established products like plastics. After
decades of global R&D developments in this field, and numerous
body blows on the way to the anticipated market breakthrough of
biopolymers, it is generally recognised that the success of such
new materials needs progress in both material performance and
production prices. The book Current Advances in Biopolymer
Processing & Characterisation is dedicated to the current
state-of-the-art of production, modification, characterisation, and
processing of two major biopolymer groups: Firstly,
polysaccharides, nature's most abundant raw materials, are
represented by specialised contributions on biomedical applications
of starch and its follow-up products. Polysaccharides were also
studied for the examples of functionalised thermoplastic starch,
molecular and hydrocolloidal characteristics of xanthan in aqueous
environments, and by the design of functionalised xylan-based
bio-materials. Secondly, the second series of contributions
encompasses diverse biopolyesters. Advanced methods to improve the
properties of PLA, fine-tune PLA properties by triggering PLA's
crystallisation rate during melt processing, and the strongly
emerging field of 3D-printing of PLA, PCL, and microbial PHA are
described. Finally, the authors familiarise the reader with the
application of mixed microbial cultures to produce PHA
heteropolyesters with different thermo-mechanical properties in
dependence on cultivation strategy and the microbial species
composition. This compilation of new biomaterials with surprising
functions and performance, based on these natural polymers will
address scientists active in biopolymers production,
functionalisation, characterisation, and processing towards
bio-technomers. The book is also dedicated to undergraduate
students of polymer chemistry and polymer processing, and to
representatives of the polymer industry who are interested in
developing innovative, sustainable and smart polymeric products.
Activities motivated by reading this book shall boost the
impatiently desired market penetration of biopolymers and their
follow-up products. Such materials definitely display a
socioeconomic impact by addressing prevailing ecological concerns
such as depleting fossil resources, growing piles of plastic waste,
and increasing global warming. The contributions to this book
illustrate that bio-inspired remedies for prevalent ecological
problems are already available, developed by experts in polymer
sciences and engineering, or that these solutions are at least in
the status of development.
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