Biopolymers from Renewable Resources

Renewable resources which can be used for very different kind of purposes such as packaging material (e.g. yoghurt cups) or as fuel are in everybody's mind again. One reason, of course, is the possibility to "grow" these materials and therefore save our oil resources. The second is the biodegradability of these materials and thus the diminishing of our waste.

Texte du rabat

The beneficial aspects of utilizing polymers from renewable resources, when considering synthesis, processing, disposal, and overall material lifecycle issues, suggests that this will continue to be an important and growing area of interest. The focus on greener chemistries in industry can be in part satisfied by exploring the range of polymers available from Nature. The information for each type of polymer includes aspects of synthesis, processing and properties. The wide range of polymers and their properties, including polyamides, polysaccharides, polyesters and polyphenols, among others, illustrates this diversity of materials. The reader will have a single volume which provides a resource from which to gain initial insights into this diverse field and from which key references and contacts can be drawn.

Contenu
1 Introduction to Biopolymers from Renewable Resources.- 2 Starch: Properties and Materials Applications.- 3 Polysaccharides Cellulose.- 4 Polysaccharides: Chitin and Chitosan: Chemistry and Technology of Their Use As Structural Materials.- 5 Alginates.- 6 Soy Protein As Biopolymer.- 7 Protein-Based Materials.- 8 Bacterial ?-Poly(glutamic Acid).- 9 Polyhydroxyalkanoates.- 10 Surfactants and Fatty Acids: Plant Oils.- 11 Surface Active Polymers from the Genus Acinetobacter.- 12 Lignin.- 13 Natural Rubber from Plants.- 14 Failure Properties of Guayule Rubber.- 15 High Molecular Weight Polylactic Acid Polymers.