The progressive dwindling of fossil resources, coupled with the drastic increase in oil prices, have sparked a feverish activity in search of alternatives based on renewable resources for the production of energy. Given the predominance of petroleum- and carbon-based chemistry for the manufacture of organic chemical commodities, a similar preoccupation has recently generated numerous initiatives aimed at replacing these fossil sources with renewable counterparts. In particular, major efforts are being conducted in the field of polymer science and technology to prepare macromolecular materials based on renewable resources. The concept of the bio-refinery, viz. the rational exploitation of the vegetable biomass in terms of the separation of its components and their utilisation as such, or after suitable chemical modifications, is thus gaining momentum and considerable financial backing from both the public and private sectors. This collection of chapters, each one written by internationally recognised experts in the corresponding field, covers in a comprehensive fashion all the major aspects related to the synthesis, characterization and properties of macromolecular materials prepared using renewable resources as such, or after appropriate modifications. Thus, monomers such as terpenes and furans, oligomers like rosin and tannins, and polymers ranging from cellulose to proteins and including macromolecules synthesized by microbes, are discussed with the purpose of showing the extraordinary variety of materials that can be prepared from their intelligent exploitation. Particular emphasis has been placed on recent advances and imminent perspectives, given the incessantly growing interest that this area is experiencing in both the scientific and technological realms. Discusses bio-refining with explicit application to materials Replete with examples of applications of the concept of sustainable development Presents an impressive variety of novel macromolecular materials

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Polymers from Renewable Resources" that was published in Polymers

This unique multidisciplinary 8-volume set focuses on the emerging issues concerning synthesis, characterization, design, manufacturing and various other aspects of composite materials from renewable materials and provides a shared platform for both researcher and industry. The Handbook of Composites from Renewable Materials comprises a set of 8 individual volumes that brings an interdisciplinary perspective to accomplish a more detailed understanding of the interplay between the synthesis, structure, characterization, processing, applications and performance of these advanced materials. The Handbook comprises 169 chapters from world renowned experts covering a multitude of natural polymers/ reinforcement/ fillers and biodegradable materials. Volume 1 is solely focused on the Structure and Chemistry of renewable materials. Some of the important topics include but not limited to: carbon fibers from sustainable resources; polylactic acid composites and composite foams based on natural fibres; composites materials from other than cellulosic resources; microcrystalline cellulose and related polymer composites; tannin-based foam; renewable feedstock vanillin derived polymer and composites; silk biocomposites; bioderived adhesives and matrix polymers; biomass-based formaldehyde-free bioresin; isolation and characterization of water soluble polysaccharide; biobased fillers; keratin-based materials in biotechnology; structure of proteins adsorbed onto bioactive glasses for sustainable composite; effect of filler properties on the antioxidant response of starch composites; composite of chitosan and its derivate; magnetic biochar from discarded agricultural biomass; biodegradable polymers for protein and peptide conjugation; polyurethanes and polyurethane composites from biobased / recycled components.

This unique multidisciplinary 8-volume set focuses on the emerging issues concerning synthesis, characterization, design, manufacturing and various other aspects of composite materials from renewable materials and provides a shared platform for both researcher and industry. The Handbook of Composites from Renewable Materials comprises a set of 8 individual volumes that brings an interdisciplinary perspective to accomplish a more detailed understanding of the interplay between the synthesis, structure, characterization, processing, applications and performance of these advanced materials. The Handbook comprises 169 chapters from world renowned experts covering a multitude of natural polymers/ reinforcement/ fillers and biodegradable materials. Volume 2 is solely focused on the Design and Manufacturing of renewable materials. Some of the important topics include but not limited to: Design and manufacturing of high performance green composites; manufacturing of high performance biomass-based polyesters by rheological approach; components design of fibrous composite materials; design and manufacturing of bio-based sandwich structures; design and manufacture of biodegradable products from renewable resources; manufacturing and characterization of quicklime filled metal alloy composites for single row deep groove ball bearing; manufacturing of composites from chicken feathers and poly (vinyl chloride); production of porous carbons from resorcinol-formaldehyde gels: applications; composites using agricultural wastes; manufacturing of rice wastes-based natural fiber polymer composites from thermosetting vs. thermoplastic matrices; thermoplastic polymeric composites; natural fiber reinforced PLA composites; rigid closed-cell PUR foams containing polyols derived from renewable resources; preparation and application of the composite from alginate; recent developments in biocomposites of bombyx mori silk fibroin; design and manufacturing of natural fiber/ synthetic fiber reinforced polymer hybrid composites; natural fiber composite strengthening solution for structural beam component for enhanced flexural strength; high pressure resin transfer molding of epoxy resins from renewable sources; cork based structural composites; the use of wheat straw as an agricultural waste in composites for semi-structural applications and design/ manufacturing of sustainable composites.

This unique multidisciplinary 8-volume set focuses on the emerging issues concerning synthesis, characterization, design, manufacturing and various other aspects of composite materials from renewable materials and provides a shared platform for both researcher and industry. The Handbook of Composites from Renewable Materials comprises a set of 8 individual volumes that brings an interdisciplinary perspective to accomplish a more detailed understanding of the interplay between the synthesis, structure, characterization, processing, applications and performance of these advanced materials. The Handbook comprises 169 chapters from world renowned experts covering a multitude of natural polymers/ reinforcement/ fillers and biodegradable materials. Volume 6 is solely focused on the "Polymeric Composites". Some of the important topics include but not limited to: Keratin as renewable material for developing polymer composites; natural and synthetic matrices; hydrogels in tissue engineering; smart hydrogels: application in bioethanol production; principle renewable biopolymers; application of hydrogel biocomposites for multiple drug delivery; nontoxic holographic materials; bioplasticizer-epoxidized vegetable oils-based poly (lactic acid) blends and nanocomposites; preparation, characterization and adsorption properties of poly (DMAEA) – cross-linked starch gel copolymer in wastewater treatments; study of chitosan cross-linking hydrogels for absorption of antifungal drugs using molecular modelling; pharmaceutical delivery systems composed of chitosan; eco-friendly polymers for food packaging; influence of surface modification on the thermal stability and percentage of crystallinity of natural abaca fiber; influence of the use of natural fibers in composite materials assessed on a life cycle perspective; plant polysaccharides-blended ionotropically-gelled alginate multiple-unit systems for sustained drug release; vegetable oil based polymer composites; applications of chitosan derivatives in wastewater treatment; novel lignin-based materials as a products for various applications; biopolymers from renewable resources and thermoplastic starch matrix as polymer units of multi-component polymer systems for advanced applications; chitosan composites: preparation and applications in removing water pollutants and recent advancements in biopolymer composites for addressing environmental issues.