This book introduces engineering students and practitioners to biopolymers, which are polymers derived partially or entirely from biobased (renewable) raw materials, and/or are biodegradable. Biopolymers have unique properties such as biocompatibility, making them valuable in diverse industries. Both natural and synthetic biopolymers have been widely used across various fields, including for biomedical, food, and environmental applications.

The book explains the fundamentals of biopolymer engineering and how biosynthetic and biochemical pathways enable the design and manufacturing of biopolymers. It then describes their properties and applications in the food industry, biomedicine and environmental engineering. The book can serve as a textbook for engineering students, including those in bioengineering, materials science and engineering, and biochemical engineering, and as a reference for professionals who are looking to refresh their knowledge in the field.

Autorentext

Dr. Wujie Zhang is a Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). He earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of South Carolina. Dr. Zhang's research and scholarly work cover a broad range of topics, including biomaterials, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and cancer treatment. His recent research on biopolymers focuses on designing bioinks for bioprinting and developing innovative drug delivery systems. Dr. Zhang has published over 45 peer-reviewed journal articles in leading journals. He is also the author of the books Nanotechnology for Bioengineers and Fundamentals and Design of Drug Delivery Systems: A Textbook with Lab Activities. With over 12 years of experience teaching a course on Biopolymer Engineering at MSOE, he has developed various lab activities to enhance learning. Dr. Zhang's contributions have been widely recognized: he was named one of the 20 high-achieving researchers and educators under 40 by ASEE's Prism magazine (2018), honored as STEM Forward's Young Engineer of the Year (2022), and received MSOE's Oscar Werwarth Distinguished Teacher Award (2023).