Biodegradability and biocompatibility

Large amounts of agricultural waste products, such as corn cobs, are continuously provided in several developing countries. Xylan is considered to be a green polymer that may play an essential role in the renewability of waste products due to its biodegradable and biocompatible nature. Furthermore, as shown in this chapter, xylan presents particular properties that allow a wide range of applications. 

Tian, D., Blacher, S., Ph Dubois and Jerome, R. (1998) Biodegradable and biocompatible inorganic-organic hybrid materials - 2. Dynamic mechanical properties, structure and morphology. Polymer, 39, 855-864. 

Wagner, A., Cooper, S. and Riedlinger, M. (2005) Natural nanotubes enhance biodegradable and biocompatible nanocomposites. Industrial Biotechnology, 1, 190-193. 

Synthetic and natural polymers have been investigated which are biodegradable and biocompatible. The nanospheres are formed by precipitation of synthetic polymers or by denatu-ration/solidification of polymers of natural origin. Four techniques have been reported for preparing nanoparticles from synthetic preformed polymers. These include ... 

Fatty acid esters of sugars are also very important biodegradable and biocompatible surfactants that are prepared either by transesterification of methyl ester with sugar on basic catalysts or by esterification of fatty acids with sugar on acidic catalysts. Liquid acids and bases have been replaced by enzymatic catalysis with lipase, giving a higher yield of monoester [43, 44], but solid catalysts have not been used extensively so far. 

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastic that can be synthesized in many microoiganisms from almost all genera of the microbial kingdom. Many microoiganisms synthesize polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) as intracellular carbon and energy reserve materials [1]. These microbial polyesters materials are thermoplastics with biodegradable properties [2]. PHAs are usually accumulated... 

The exhaustible nature of the oil reserves and the pollution that oil-based technological polymers can have on the environment has rekindled an interest in polymers of natural origin, in particular the biotechnological polymers. Until now, however, the polyhydroxyalkanoates are the only biotechnological polymers that have been developed industrially, occupying a notable position as biodegradable and biocompatible biomaterials for temporary use [1, 2]. 

Title Biodegradable and Biocompatible Peg-Based Poly (Ester-U rethanes)... 

Research Focus Synthesis of biodegradable and biocompatible polyethylene oxide derivatives containing poly(ester-urethanes) for use as medical implants. 

Shive MS, Anderson JM. Biodegradation and biocompatibility of PLA and PLGA microspheres. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 1997 28 5-24. 

Polyethylene oxide) (PEO) is a semicrystalline water-soluble polymer [64, 65], with a crystallinity that is very sensitive to the thermal history of the sample, making this property interesting as an indicator of degradation. Because it is biodegradable and biocompatible, PEO is a good candidate for environmental and medical applications [66-68]. The mechanisms of thermo- and photo-oxidation of PEO have already been investigated [69, 70] on the basis of IR identification of the oxidation products and are summarized in Scheme 10.1. 

Poly(esters) are the best defined widely used biodegradable and biocompatible materials. There are a number of different grades of poly(lactic acid) (PFA), poly(glycolic acid) (PGA), and copolymers of lactic and glycolic acids (PFAGA) with respect to molecular weights and compositions. One of the major advantages... 

Another illustration of how the SFA can be used to understand polyelectrolyte adsorption layer properties will consider chitosan, a polyelectrolyte that is very appealing for practical use due to its natural origin and non-toxicity [128], acceptance in food [128, 129], biodegradability and biocompatibility, [130] antibacterial and fungistatic activity [129, 131]. 

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