Biomedical Inorganic Polymers

In recent years, inorganic polymers have attracted much attention in nano-biomedicine, in particular in the area of regenerative medicine and drug delivery. This growing interest in inorganic polymers has been further accelerated by the development of new synthetic and analytical methods in the field of nanotechnology and nanochemistry. Examples for biomedical inorganic polymers that had been proven to exhibit biomedical effects and/or have been applied in preclinical or clinical trials are polysilicate / silica glass (such as naturally formed “biosilica” and synthetic “bioglass”) and inorganic polyphosphate. Some members of the mentioned biomedical inorganic polymers have already been applied e.g. as “bioglass” for bone repair and bone tissue engineering, or they are used in food processing and in dental care (inorganic polyphosphates). However, there are a number of further biological and medicinal properties of these polymers, which have been elucidated in the last few years but not yet been applied for treatment of humans. In addition to polysilicates and polyphosphate, there are a series of other inorganic polymers including polyarsenate and polyvanadate, whose biological / biomedical properties have been only marginally studied so far. Moreover, the combined application of inorganic polymers and organic polymeric molecules (formation of organic-inorganic hybrid materials) provides a variety of new materials with novel property combinations and diverse applications in nanomedicine. The planned book summarizes the present state of knowledge on a large group of inorganic polymers that had hitherto been mainly considered with regard to their chemistry but not comprehensively reviewed with respect to their potential biomedical applications.

This book provides a contemporary research-led overview of the applications of inorganic materials in biomedicine. It begins with a short introduction summarising key concepts in inorganic materials (layered materials, framework materials etc.), and explaining the need for new materials in medicine. It then discusses the key areas in which inorganic materials have been applied, considering: drug delivery; imaging; diagnostics and theranostics; hard matter restoration; and vaccines. Each chapter gives an overview of the major extant challenges in the research area, before presenting a systematic review of how inorganic materials have been applied to gain traction in the field. A clear focus is maintained on the fate of the applied materials in vivo, clinical considerations, and the path to translation from lab to clinic. With contributions from leading researchers, Biomedical Applications of Inorganic Materials will provide a comprehensive introduction for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers wishing to learn about the topic.

This book provides a practical guide to the use and applications of inorganic biomaterials. It begins by introducing the concept of inorganic biomaterials, which includes bioceramics and bioglass. This concept is further extended to hybrid biomaterials consisting of inorganic and organic materials to mimic natural biomaterials. The book goes on to provide the reader with information on biocompatibility, bioactivity and bioresorbability. The concept of the latter is important because of the increasing role resorbable biomaterials are playing in implant applications. The book also introduces a new concept on mechanical compatibility - 'mechacompatibility'. Almost all implant biomaterials employed to date, such as metal and ceramic implants, do not meet this biological requirement as they have far higher modulus than any biomaterials in the body. The practical techniques that are used in the characterization of biomaterials, including chemical, physical, biological, microscopy and mechanical characterization are described. Some specialised techniques are also introduced such as Synchrotron Micro-Computed Tomography (u-CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The reader is given important information on new biomaterials development for orthopaedic and other areas, including controlled release technology, hydroxyapatite and hybrid bioresorbable materials. Finally the book provides a guide to regulatory considerations, an area which is often overlooked, but is an important part of R&D and manufacturing of medical materials and devices.

Nanostructuring of materials is a task at the heart of many modern disciplines in mechanical engineering, as well as optics, electronics, and the life sciences. This book includes an introduction to the relevant nonlinear optical processes associated with very short laser pulses for the generation of structures far below the classical optical diffraction limit of about 200 nanometers as well as coverage of state-of-the-art technical and biomedical applications. These applications include silicon and glass wafer processing, production of nanowires, laser transfection and cell reprogramming, optical cleaning, surface treatments of implants, nanowires, 3D nanoprinting, STED lithography, friction modification, and integrated optics. The book highlights also the use of modern femtosecond laser microscopes and nanoscopes as novel nanoprocessing tools.

This book focuses on biodegradable polymers that are already in clinical use or under clinical development. Synthetic and natural polymers will be included. This excludes polymers that have been investigated and did not reach clinical development. The purpose of this book is to provide updated status of the polymers that are clinical use and those that are now being developed for clinical use and hopefully will reach the clinic during the next 5 years. The book provides information that of interest to academics and practicing researchers including chemists, biologists and bioengineers and users: physicians, pharmacists.

Inorganic materials have been used for biomedical applications since many decades. They have been utilized successfully because of easy and economic methods for bulk preparation and industrial manufacturing. Surface modifications significantly improve the success of these materials and enable us to exploit their application in many innovative fields such as tissue engineering, dentistry, nanocarriers for drugs, medical diagnosis and antifouling technologies. This e-book provides comprehensive information on technologies for development and characterization of successful functionalized materials for biomedical applications relevant to surface modification. It is a suitable reference for advanced students and researchers interested in biomaterials science and medical applications of inorganic substances.

Conducting polymers are versatile materials that possess both the unique properties of polymeric materials (elastic behavior, reversible deformation, flexibility, etc.) and the ability to conduct electricity with bulk conductivities comparable to those of metals and semiconductors. Conducting Polymers: Chemistries, Properties and Biomedical Applications provides current, state-of-the-art knowledge of conducting polymers and their composites for biomedical applications. This book covers the fundamentals of conducting polymers, strategies to modify the structure of conducting polymers to make them biocompatible, and their applications in various biomedical areas such as drug/gene delivery, tissue engineering, antimicrobial activities, biosensors, etc. FEATURES Covers the state-of-the-art progress on biodegradable conducting polymers for biomedical applications Presents synthesis, characterization, and applications of conducting polymers for various biomedical research Provides the fundamentals of biodegradation mechanisms and the role of conduction in biomedical devices Offers details of novel methods and advanced technologies used in biomedical applications using conducting polymers Highlights new directions for scientists, researchers, and students to better understand the chemistry, technologies, and applications of conducting polymers This book is essential reading for all academic and industrial researchers working in the fields of materials science, polymers, nanotechnology, and biomedical technology.

This book presents a thorough discussion of the physics, biology, chemistry and medicinal science behind a new and important area of materials science and engineering: polymer nanocomposites. The tremendous opportunities of polymer nanocomposites in the biomedical field arise from their multitude of applications and their ability to satisfy the vastly different functional requirements for each of these applications. In the biomedical field, a polymer nanocomposite system must meet certain design and functional criteria, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical properties, and, in some cases, aesthetic demands. The content of this book builds on what has been learnt in elementary courses about synthesising polymers, different nanoparticles, polymer composites, biomedical requirements, uses of polymer nanocomposites in medicine as well as medical devices and the major mechanisms involved during each application. The impact of hybrid nanofillers and synergistic composite mixtures which are used extensively or show promising outcomes in the biomedical field are also discussed. These novel materials vary from inorganic/ceramic-reinforced nanocomposites for mechanical property improvement to peptide-based nanomaterials, with the chemistry designed to render the entire material biocompatible.