Electronic Structures and Conduction Properties of Biopolymers

Keywords Biopolymers, proteins, DNA, electronic structures, conduction properties, genetic algorithm, ant algorithm 

Over the past 50 years, spectacular advances have been made in X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and several other techniques for determining structure. Theoretical studies of polymers have also been developing at a rapid pace with faster and more advanced computing capability. There is much interest at the moment in the possibility of using biological molecules such as proteins and DNA as electrical conductors. The possibility 

Susheel Kalia and Luc Averous (eds.) Biopolymers Biomedical and Environmental Applications, (437-458) Scrivener Publishing LLC 

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Gum Arabica is a natural plant gum that exudates a carbohydrate type and is an electroactive biopolymer. Gum Arabica and its complexes have potential applications in developing ionic devices such as batteries, sensors, bio-sensors, and other electronic applications, in addition to solar material, energy storage material and nanoscience. Biopolymers obtained from bacteria are rapidly emerging because they are biodegradable and available in abundance. Simple methods are being developed to grow and harvest the polymers to exploit them for numerous industrial and biomedical applications. Electronic structures and conduction properties of biopolymers are also discussed in Part III. 

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