Main description:

Science and Principles of Biodegradable and Bioresorbable Medical Polymers: Materials and Properties provides a practical guide to the use of biodegradable and bioresorbable polymers for study, research, and applications within medicine. Fundamentals of the basic principles and science behind the use of biodegradable polymers in advanced research and in medical and pharmaceutical applications are presented, as are important new concepts and principles covering materials, properties, and computer modeling, providing the reader with useful tools that will aid their own research, product design, and development.

Supported by practical application examples, the scope and contents of the book provide researchers with an important reference and knowledge-based educational and training aid on the basics and fundamentals of these important medical polymers.

Contents:

1. Biodegradable medical polymers: Fundamental sciences

Part One. Biodegradable and bioresorbable syntheticmedical polymers

2. Synthetic biodegradable medical polyesters

3. Synthetic biodegradable medical polyesters: Poly- -caprolactone

4. Synthetic biodegradable medical polyesters: Poly(trimethylene carbonate)

5. Synthetic biodegradable medical polymer: Polyanhydrides

6. Synthetic biodegradable medical polyurethanes

7. Synthetic biodegradable medical polymers: Polymer blends

Part Two. Biodegradable and bioresorbable naturalmedical polymers

8. Natural bacterial biodegradable medical polymers: Polyhydroxyalkanoates

9. Natural biodegradable medical polymers: Cellulose

10. Natural bacterial biodegradable medical polymers: Bacterial cellulose

11. Natural biodegradable medical polymers: Therapeutic peptides and proteins

12. Natural biodegradable medical polymers: Silk

Part Three. Properties of biodegradable medical polymers

13. Biocompatibility of biodegradable medical polymers

14. Degradation characterisation of biodegradable polymers

15. Modelling degradation of biodegradable polymers