Protein-based materials environmental improvements

In Chapter 9, the capacity to design protein-based molecular machines and materials turns toward the development of useful applications for improving individual health and environmental health. With insight as to how the protein-based machines of biology work, and, because we know how they work, we can... 

Environmentally compatible polymeric materials based on the combination of natural components and synthetic polymers are attracting increasing attention. Several contributions have been reported on the preparation of blends and composites based on biodegradable synthetic polymers such as poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) with starch ", cellulose and protein materials . Starch gives substantially immiscible blends with PVA , nevertheless a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of the natural polysaccharide has been recorded, thus indicating at least a partial compatibility between starch and the synthetic polymer . 

---