The Chemistry and Processing of Wood and Plant Fibrous Material


Book Description

This book covers the production, management and changing patterns of global wood and fibre resources, with emphasis on the inter-disciplinary character of wood and related plant materials in terms of their resource value.




Handbook of Biopolymers and Biodegradable Plastics


Book Description

Biopolymers and Biodegradable Plastics are a hot issue across the Plastics industry, and for many of the industry sectors that use plastic, from packaging to medical devices and from the construction indusry to the automotive sector. This book brings together a number of key biopolymer and biodegradable plastics topics in one place for a broad audience of engineers and scientists, especially those designing with biopolymers and biodegradable plastics, or evaluating the options for switching from traditional plastics to biopolymers. Topics covered include preparation, fabrication, applications and recycling (including biodegradability and compostability). Applications in key areas such as films, coatings controlled release and tissue engineering are discussed. Dr Ebnesajjad provides readers with an in-depth reference for the plastics industry – material suppliers and processors, bio-polymer producers, bio-polymer processors and fabricators – and for industry sectors utilizing biopolymers – automotive, packaging, construction, wind turbine manufacturers, film manufacturers, adhesive and coating industries, medical device manufacturers, biomedical engineers, and the recycling industry. Essential information and practical guidance for engineers and scientists working with bioplastics, or evaluating a migration to bioplastics. Includes key published material on biopolymers, updated specifically for this Handbook, and new material including coverage of PLA and Tissue Engineering Scaffolds. Coverage of materials and applications together in one handbook enables engineers and scientists to make informed design decisions.




Polysaccharides


Book Description

Completely revised and expanded to reflect the latest advancements in the field, Polysaccharides: Structural Diversity and Functional Versatility, Second Edition outlines fundamental concepts in the structure, function, chemistry, and stability of polysaccharides and reveals new analytical techniques and applications currently impacting the cosmeti




Recent Advances in Environmentally Compatible Polymers


Book Description

The book offers a comprehensive overview of research undertaken in all aspects of environmentally compatible polymers.




Surface Treatment Methods of Natural Fibres and their Effects on Biocomposites


Book Description

Natural fiber composites have experienced a renaissance over the last two decades as a response to societal demands for developing eco-friendly, biodegradable and recyclable materials. They are now being extensively used in everyday products as well as in automotive, packaging, sports and the construction industries. These fibers require surface treatments in order to improve their properties and interfacial bonding with polymer matrices, and to reduce their hydrophilic character. These methods can be grouped into three major categories: chemical, physical and biological. Chemical methods use chemical reagents to reduce fibers' hydrophilic tendency and thus improve compatibility with the matrix. They also expose more reactive groups on the fibre surface to facilitate efficient coupling with the matrix. Physical methods change structural and surface properties of the fiber and thereby influence the interfacial bonding with matrices, without extensively changing the chemical composition of the fibers. They are cleaner and simpler than the chemical methods. Biological methods use biological agents like fungi, enzymes and bacteria to modify the fiber surface properties. These methods are not toxic like chemical methods and are not energy-intensive like physical methods.Surface Treatment Methods of Natural Fibers and their Effects on Biocomposites presents an overview and recent developments of these methods. All the major methods are reviewed, explaining the science and methodology behind each method. The effects of these methods on various properties of fibers and the biocomposites made from these fibers are analyzed in detail.The book will be an essential reference for academic researchers, materials scientists and engineers, postgraduate students and industrial researchers and development scientists and engineers working on natural fibers and biocomposites. - Extensive coverage of all the surface modification methods (chemical, physical, biological) of natural fibers and its effect on properties of produced composites - The chemical mechanisms which are utilized in surface treatments are discussed in detail and how these affect the interfacial properties and characteristics - Systematic and comprehensive review on surface modifications of natural fibres, and explains how the effect of the surface treatment can be characterized and measured, as well as the effect on properties




Handbook of Textile Fibre Structure


Book Description

Due to their complexity and diversity, understanding the structure of textile fibres is of key importance. This authoritative two-volume collection provides a comprehensive review of the structure of an extensive range of textile fibres.Volume 2 begins by reviewing natural fibres such as cellulosic, cotton, protein, wool and silk fibres. Part two considers regenerated cellulosic, protein, alginate, chitin and chitosan fibres. The final part of the book discusses inorganic fibres such as glass, carbon and ceramic fibres as well as specialist fibres such as thermally and chemically-resistant fibres, optical and hollow fibres. Chapters review how fibre structure contributes to key mechanical properties. A companion volume reviews the structure of manufactured polymer fibres.Edited by leading authorities on the subject and with a team of international authors, the two volumes of the Handbook of textile fibre structure is an essential reference for textile technologists, fibre scientists, textile engineers and those in academia. - Discusses how fibre structure contributes to key mechanical properties - Reviews natural fibres such as cellulosic, cotton and silk fibres and considers various regenerated fibres - Examines inorganic fibres including glass and carbon as well as specialist fibres such as chemically-resistant and optical fibres




Hyaluronan


Book Description

Hyaluronan and its derivatives has developed very quickly in the last few years from a scientific novelty into an important new material for a diverse range of medical and biomaterial applications. This landmark conference focused on developments and applications in the use of hyaluronan in tissue repair and reconstruction, drug delivery systems, anti-cancer treatments and joint recovery and engineering.The entire range of hyaluronan progress is covered in depth by the more than 135 individual papers:Analytical chemistryStructural elucidation and basic chemistryElectron microscopy and atomic force microscopyProduction, purification and characterisationQuality in production systemsChemical modificationDerivatives and propertiesCross-linkingFree radical modificationPhysical characterisationRheologyAggregation phenomenaInteraction with water and solution propertiesCell biologyControl and regulation of HA synthasesCell surface chemistryHA cell receptors and cell signallingInteraction with proteins and other biological ligandsBiophysical aspectsEffects on pain receptorsNeurobiologyRole in organisation of extracellular matrixRole in development (embryogenesis): cell movement/migrationMedical applicationsUses in cartilage and wound repairInflammationWound regenerative healingSurgery and tissue engineeringViscosupplementation / osteoarthritisViscoaugmentation and viscoprotectionAnti-adhesion applicationsBrug delivery systemsBinding onto tumour cells and metastases - Outlines the proceedings of the landmark conference which focused on key developments and applications in the use of hyaluronan in tissue repair and reconstruction, among other uses - The entire range of hyaluronan processes is dealt with in depth by more than 135 individual papers presented in two volumes - Covers analytical chemistry, chemical modification, physical characterisation, cell biology and medical applications




Sterilisation of Tissues Using Ionising Radiations


Book Description

Existing methods and processing for sterilising tissues are proving inadequate in many instances. Infections have been transmitted from the graft to the recipient and in the USA the Centre for Disease Control and other regulatory bodies have drawn attention to the need for a reliable end sterilisation method which does not damage the functionality of the final tissue. Safety of surgical allografts is, therefore, a major concern due to microbial and viral contamination of tissues which is now a problem even in the most sophisticated centres.The Presidents of the main Professional Association of Tissue Banks; American, European and Latin American met in Vienna to review the situation and concluded that the time was opportune to organise an international high level expert meeting, which would identify the best method of using radiation technology to assist in the production of safe tissue allograftsSterilisation of biological tissues with ionising radiations provides the information on this subject presented at an international meeting in Wales, supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency. New methods of protecting the tissues were presented which at the same time allow the use of sufficiently high doses of ionising radiations to inactivate invading organisms. A Code of Practice for the Radiation Sterilisation of Tissues was evaluated and the outcome and the full Code is included in this volume, as well as explorations of all of the methodologies used in the field.Sterilisation of biological tissues with ionising radiations is the only volume of its kind and as such is an invaluable source of information for those working in tissue banks, transplant surgeons and the safety regulators. - High-quality papers highlighting the most recent developments in this important area - Includes the full code of practice for the radiation sterilisation of tissues - Edited by a highly respected team of experts




Monomers, Polymers and Composites from Renewable Resources


Book Description

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




Handbook of Bionanocomposites


Book Description

Advanced bionanocomposite materials continue to be increasingly popular and are important for a wide range of scientific and engineering applications. In the race to exploit the unique mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of bionanocomposite materials, researchers need to address new challenges in predicting, understanding, and managing the potentially adverse effects these materials could have on the environment and human life. This book focuses on the fundamentals of bionanostructured materials and bionanocomposites. It deals with some recent developments in the synthesis and characterization of bionanomaterials as well as their incorporation into polymer matrixes. The biological applications of bionanomaterials are also discussed in detail, along with the synthesis of bionanostructured materials and bionanocomposites, reviews of food packing, water remediation, heavy metal ion adsorption from wastewaters, and other industrial applications. This book is aimed at beginners in this field as well as advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level students of materials science and researchers working in the fields of bionanocomposites, nanotechnology, and analytical chemistry, especially those with an interest in materials for analytical applications.