Most of the untreated surfaces of polymers used in industry are not hydrophilic but hydrophobic. It is, therefore, difficult to bond these nonpolar polymer sur faces directly to other substances like adhesives, printing inks, and paints because they generally consist of polar compounds. On the other hand, polymer surfaces generally adsorb proteins when brought into direct contact with a bio logical system, resulting in cell attachment or platelet aggregation. The protein adsorption and attachment of biological components trigger a subsequent series of mostly adverse biological reactions toward the polymeric materials. Therefore, the technologies for surface modification of polymers or regulation of the polymer surface interaction with other substances have been of prime importance in polymer applications from the advent of polymer industries. Some of the technologies have been directed to introduction of new function alities onto polymer surfaces. The new functionalities introduced include improved surface hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, bio compatibility, conductivi ty, anti-fogging, anti-fouling, grazing, surface hardness, surface roughness, adhesion, lubrication, and antistatic property. Theoretically, there is a large dif ference in properties between the surface and the bulk of a material and only the outermost surface is enough to be taken into consideration when the sur face properties are concerned. However, this is not the case for polymer surfaces, as the physical structure of the outermost polymer surface is generally not fixed but continuously changing with time due to the microscopic Brownian motion of polymer segments.

The Concise Encyclopedia of Biomedical Polymers and Polymeric Biomaterials presents new and selected content from the 11-volume Biomedical Polymers and Polymeric Biomaterials Encyclopedia. The carefully culled content includes groundbreaking work from the earlier published work as well as exclusive online material added since its publication in print. A diverse and global team of renowned scientists provide cutting edge information concerning polymers and polymeric biomaterials. Acknowledging the evolving nature of the field, the encyclopedia also features newly added content in areas such as tissue engineering, tissue repair and reconstruction, and biomimetic materials.

Thanks to their unique properties, chitosan and chitosan-based materials have numerous applications in the field of biomedicine, especially in drug delivery. This book examines biomedical applications of functional chitosan, exploring the various functions and applications in the development of chitosan-based biomaterials. It also describes the chemical structure of chitosan and discusses the relationship between their structure and functions, providing a theoretical basis for the design of biomaterials. Lastly, it reviews chemically modified and composite materials of chitin and chitosan derivatives for biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering, nanomedicine, drug delivery, and gene delivery.

Including chemical, synthetic, and cross-disciplinary approaches; this book includes the necessary techniques and technologies to help readers better understand polymers for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The methods in the book are essential to researchers and scientists in the field and will lead to further development in polymer and fuel cell technologies. • Provides complete, essential, and comprehensive overview of polymer applications for PEM fuel cells • Emphasizes state-of-the-art developments and methods, like PEMs for novel fuel cells and polymers for fuel cell catalysts • Includes detailed chapters on major topics, like PEM for direct liquid fuel cells and fluoropolymers and non-fluorinated polymers for PEM • Has relevance to a range of industries – like polymer engineering, materials, and green technology – involved with fuel cell technologies and R&D

Biomaterials Science and Technology: Fundamentals and Developments presents a broad scope of the field of biomaterials science and technology, focusing on theory, advances, and applications. It reviews the fabrication and properties of different classes of biomaterials such as bioinert, bioactive, and bioresorbable, in addition to biocompatibility. It further details traditional and recent techniques and methods that are utilized to characterize major properties of biomaterials. The book also discusses modifications of biomaterials in order to tailor properties and thus accommodate different applications in the biomedical engineering fields and summarizes nanotechnology approaches to biomaterials. This book targets students in advanced undergraduate and graduate levels in majors related to fields of Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering and Science, Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Life Sciences. It assists in understanding major concepts of fabrication, modification, and possible applications of different classes of biomaterials. It is also intended for professionals who are interested in recent advances in the emerging field of biomaterials.