Biopolymers and Bioplastics

Polymer nanotechnology

Nano polymers have an extremely large surface area that provides diverse opportunities for functional groups to be occupied on the surface. Particles are produced that can expand/contract with changes in physical conditions such as pH, or interact with anti-bodies in specified manner which can be used in manufacturing rapid ex-vivo medical diagnostic tests. Important new innovation have been made in combining inorganic materials with polymers and in combining different classes of polymers together in nanoparticle form. New and improved analytical techniques permits us to obtain the structures even at smaller scales and also computer simulations of step by step formation of the particles can be performed which have proven advantages in developing strategies to produce structured particles. Nanostructured polymers such as nanofibers have applications in drug delivery, wound healing, tissue engineering and barrier textiles. Non layered nanoparticles can be used for polymer modification, it can be considered as a significant tier of organic- inorganic hybrid materials where inorganic nanoscale building blocks are incorporated uniformly in an organic polymer matrix. Compared to conventional composite materials based on micrometer fillers at the interface the nanoscale filler particles provide greater surface area therefore enhancing the properties of the composites. Polymer modification is used in the development of predictive capacity of properties of polymers and its behaviour based on models of molecular interactions. Carbon nanotubes and graphene are light weight materials but are extremely strong and have better structural and functional properties compared to their conventional counterparts. They are being used as filler materials to other materials to produce composite materials that grant them substantial mechanical and electrical properties.