Biopolymers
Biopolymers are large molecules made up of repeating units called monomers, which are found in living organisms. They include proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. In the context of physics, biopolymers are studied for their mechanical properties, such as elasticity and flexibility, as well as their behavior under various conditions, which can have applications in materials science and biophysics.
6 Key excerpts on "Biopolymers"
eBook - ePubHandbook of Biopolymer-Based Materials
From Blends and Composites to Gels and Complex Networks
- Sabu Thomas, Dominique Durand, Christophe Chassenieux, P. Jyotishkumar, Sabu Thomas, Dominique Durand, Christophe Chassenieux, P. Jyotishkumar(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Wiley-VCH(Publisher)
...Its purpose is not only for pure intellectual curiosity but also for modeling and understanding various mechanisms involved in the soft matter field, and for the consequences that a better understanding of these Biopolymers might lead to. In fact, the fundamental physics underlying the biopolymer behavior and the techniques applied for their study are often similar. With the development of new powerful X-ray sources, new microscopies (cryo-TEM, ultra speed confocal scanning laser microscopy), and the advent of single-molecule techniques [6], polymer physicists are now strongly active in this field and there exists a strong collaboration between biologists and physicists. For example, biologists can create specific mutations to design molecules for specific studies of the role played by specific groups located at precise points along the chain, for understanding by example the influence of a particular residue on the folding–unfolding process of biopolymer and its influence on the mechanical properties, which can be measured by pulling with an AFM tip [7]. Also, the understanding of the biological molecular machines allows designing synthetic molecules to perform analogous tasks [8]. More generally, most biological macromolecular assemblies are predominantly made from mixtures of stiff Biopolymers, and our cells, muscles, and connective tissue owe their remarkable mechanical properties to these complex biopolymer networks. The understanding of their incessant assembly, disassembly, restructuring, active and passive mechanical deformation needs a lot of theoretical modeling efforts because if flexible polymer behavior is well depicted in litterature, the stiffness of these Biopolymers and the resulting anisotropic networks that lead to smart mechanical and dynamical properties are far from being understood. The proteins, which are the major biomacromolecules in our body and play a fundamental role in making our body work, give us another example...
eBook - ePubPolymer Science and Innovative Applications
Materials, Techniques, and Future Developments
- Mariam Al Ali AlMaadeed, Deepalekshmi Ponnamma, Marcelo A. Carignano, Mariam Al Ali AlMaadeed, Deepalekshmi Ponnamma, Marcelo A. Carignano(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Elsevier(Publisher)
...It also provides the basic concepts of the physical, chemical, and mechanical strategies of polymers that can make them applicable in improving global lifestyles. Keywords Technology; polymeric; lifestyle; smart materials 1.1 Introduction The role of polymers in biological processes is significant as they are the molecular basis of life [1 – 5]. The relationship of polymers with biorelated fields start from macromolecular deoxyribonucleic acid to medicines and biomedical devices. Proteins, carbohydrates such as polysaccharides, enzymes, and tissues are arranged in the form of repeating structural units similar to that of polymer skeletons [6, 7]. As living tissues are composed of polymers, these macromolecules are considered as natural allies of medicines. Many polymers like polyamides, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyethylene, silicones, polycarbonate, fluorocarbons, and so forth are used in medical fields [8]. However, biocompatibility, toxicity, biodegradability, among others, are major concerns when applying synthetic polymers in medical sectors. Biomimetic synthetic phospholipid membranes for coatings, cellophanes for kidney-related applications, hydroxyapatites for dental applications, etc. are examples of the numerous applicabilities of polymers in biomedical areas [3]. While polymers can be synthesized in many different ways using polymerization techniques, their final application including mechanical, structural, and functional properties highly depends on the conformation of the monomer units, molecular size and weight, monomer type and distribution, or polydispersity index. Based on the mode of synthesis, polymers vary as homopolymers and heteropolymers, whereas based on their origin they vary as natural and synthetic [9]. There are numerous classification strategies for polymers and studies have revealed specific shapes at atomic and nanometer resolutions...
eBook - ePubBiopolymer-Based Formulations
Biomedical and Food Applications
- Kunal Pal, Indranil Banerjee, Preetam Sarkar, Doman Kim, Win-Ping Deng, Navneet Kumar Dubey, Kaustav Majumder, Dr. Kunal Pal, Indranil Banerjee, Preetam Sarkar, Doman Kim, Win-Ping Deng, Navneet Kumar Dubey, Kaustav Majumder(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Elsevier(Publisher)
...Biopolymers are also called as natural polymers as they are synthesized during the growth of living organism (Vijayendra and Shamala, 2013). Some examples of Biopolymers are proteins, carbohydrates, DNA, RNA, lipids, nucleic acids, peptides, and polysaccharides (such as glycogen, starch, and cellulose). Biopolymers can be broadly classified as natural and synthetic Biopolymers. Synthetic Biopolymers are of two types: nondegradable and degradable (Table 6.1). Biopolymers on the basis of monomers used and the structure of the biopolymer formed are classified into three main classes, viz. polynucleotides, polypeptides, and polysaccharides. Polynucleotides (RNA and DNA) are made up of nucleotide monomers. Polypeptides are made up of amino acids and are short polymers. Polymers of polysaccharides are carbohydrate structures and regularly bonded linear (Chandra and Rustgi, 1998 ; Kumar et al., 2007 ; Meyers et al., 2008 ; Mohanty et al., 2005). Rubber, suberin, melanin, and lignin are the few other examples of Biopolymers. The biomaterials that are made from proteins, polysaccharides, and synthetic Biopolymers do not have mechanical properties and stability in aqueous environments. These properties are required for applications in medical field. The industrial applications of polymers depend broadly on the plants or marine algae-based materials. Natural polymers possess a large variety of applications in food and pharmaceutical industries and are also being used for several industrial functions such as petroleum well drilling, explosives, photography, making shampoos, in paper industry, fire fighting, textiles, etc...
eBook - ePubNatural Polymers
Perspectives and Applications for a Green Approach
- Jissy Jacob, Fernando Gomes, Józef T. Haponiuk, Nandakumar Kalarikkal, Sabu Thomas, Jissy Jacob, Fernando Gomes, Józef T. Haponiuk, Nandakumar Kalarikkal, Sabu Thomas(Authors)
- 2022(Publication Date)
- Apple Academic Press(Publisher)
...Biodegradable polymeric materials are classified into natural (biologically derived) and synthetic (chemically derived) based on their origin [ 9 ]. Compared to synthetic counterparts, natural polymers are preferred owing to their economic and environmental aspects [ 10 ]. Advantages of natural polymers are that many of them are natural bodily constituents that provide a natural adhesive surface for cells and carry the required information for their activity [ 11 ]. Furthermore, as their degradation products are metabolized by the enzymes present in the body and subsequently cleared from the system so are nontoxic [ 12 ]. Even though cell friendly, the risk of disease transmission, batch-to-batch variability, concerns regarding their animal origin, and low mechanical stability makes them inferior for use. Nevertheless, physical or chemical modification can be imparted to natural polymers in order to improve the properties making it ideal for desired purposes [ 13 ]. 2.2 CLASSES OF NATURAL POLYMERS A polymer, by definition is a macromolecule composed of multiple repeating units (monomers) with characteristic high relative molecular mass and distinct physicochemical properties [ 14 ]. Natural polymers are directly or indirectly formed during the growth cycle of living organisms by complex metabolic processes that are either enzyme-mediated or by activated monomers participating in chain growth reactions. Based on the chemical constituents, natural polymers are broadly classified into polysaccharide, polyamides, polynucleotides, and lipids. They could be obtained from plant or animal sources or could be synthesized by bacteria from small molecules. 2.2.1 POLYSACCHARIDE POLYMERS Polysaccharide polymers are Biopolymers composed of monosaccharide linked together by glycosidic linkages. As they are abundant in nature, hence could be derived from source materials in a very cost-effective manner...
eBook - ePubBiomaterials Science
An Introduction to Materials in Medicine
- Buddy D. Ratner, Allan S. Hoffman, Frederick J. Schoen, Jack E. Lemons, Buddy D. Ratner, Allan S. Hoffman, Frederick J. Schoen, Jack E. Lemons(Authors)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
...Chapter I.2.2 Polymers Basic Principles Daniel E. Heath and Stuart L. Cooper William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA Introduction Polymer materials possess an array of unique properties which make them useful in a wide variety of biomaterial applications such as orthopedics, dental, hard and soft tissue replacements, and cardiovascular devices. In fact, polymers represent the largest class of materials used in medicine. This chapter introduces the basic principles in polymer science, illustrates how polymer materials can be specifically designed to fill needs in the biomaterials field, and provides examples of how this class of materials is currently used in medical applications. The central idea of this chapter is structure–property relationships, which means molecular characteristics such as molecular architecture, molecular weight, and chemical composition are directly related to the physical and chemical properties of the macroscopic material. For instance, polymer scientists in other fields have been able to exploit structure–property relationships to create non-stick coatings, pressure-sensitive adhesives, and the penetration-resistant materials used in bullet-proof vests. A biomaterials scientist aware of structure–property relationships can rationally engineer a polymer system for a specific need. The Polymer Molecule Molecular Structure of Single Polymer Molecules The hallmark of polymer molecules is high molecular weight. A single polymer molecule could have a molecular weight of 200,000 Da compared to a water molecule, which has a molecular weight of 18 Da. Furthermore, polymer molecules are organized into very interesting architectures. Common shapes of polymer molecules are shown in Figure I.2.2.1. The simplest is the linear chain where there is a single molecular backbone...
eBook - ePubBiomaterials
A Systems Approach to Engineering Concepts
- Brian J. Love(Author)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
...Chapter 9 Polymeric Biomaterials Abstract Polymeric biomaterials encompass the most widespread usage of synthetic and hybrid materials being used in medicine today. The chapter presents general nomenclature about how polymers are classified, describes different synthetic protocols, and subtleties between different synthetic polymer repeat structures. Also presented are the general physical and mechanical properties of condensed polymers, and general areas of medicine where polymers of different structures have been proposed or used. The similarities between natural tissues, proteins, and polysaccharides and synthetic polymers with their long-chain architecture leads to the reasonable conclusion that synthetic polymers are better representations of natural tissue response compared with metals and ceramics, for example. It is also worth noting that the varying range of starting materials to yield polymers has led to a wide range of materials that could be ultimately deployed as elements in medical devices, and there have been efforts to identify ideal material characteristics in terms of blood coagulation capacity, platelet activation, bacterial attachment, etc., but at present, there are many different polymer structures that could be potentially used for a specific medical design. The reader is pointed to the extremely wide range of suture materials as examples. With sutures, any polymer that can be synthesized, extruded, draw, and braided has the potential to be a more valuable product than simply yarn. The capacity to synthesize and polymerize reactive monomers in situ through a range of chemistries has offered a much wider array of injectable polymers, some that are biodegradable, some that are permanently installed. It is the realm of radical chemistry in dentistry that has led to the production of dental sealants, other reactive resin bonding agents, etc. and the notion to deploy similar chemistry in other areas of medicine is very much of current interest...
