Half Title page -- Title page -- Copyright page -- Preface -- Chapter 1: Biomedical Applications for Thermoplastic Starch -- 1.1 Starch as Source of Materials in the Polymer Industry -- 1.2 Starch in Plastic Materials and Thermoplastic Starch -- 1.3 Uses of Starch and TPS in Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Fields -- 1.4 Conclusion and Future Perspectives for Starch-based Polymers -- Acknowledgment -- References -- Chapter 2: Polyhydroxyalkanoates: The Application of Eco-Friendly Materials -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Natural Occurrence -- 2.3 Bio-Synthetic/Semi-Synthetic Approach -- 2.4 Environmental Aspects -- 2.5 Applications -- 2.6 Biomedical Applications -- 2.7 Biodegradable Packaging Material -- 2.8 Agriculture -- 2.9 Other Applications -- 2.10 Scope of PHAs -- 2.11 Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 3: Cellulose Microfibrils from Natural Fiber Reinforced Biocomposites and its Applications -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Natural Fibers: Applications and Limitations -- 3.3 Plant-based Fibers -- 3.4 Chemical Composition, structure and Properties of Sisal Fiber -- 3.5 Biocomposites -- 3.6 Classification of Biocomposites -- 3.7 Biocomposites of CMF Reinforced of Poly (Lactic Acid) -- 3.8 Effect of CMF Reinforcement on the Mechanical Properties of PLA -- 3.9 FT-IR Analysis of Untreated Sisal Fiber (UTS), Mercerized Sisal Fiber (MSF) and Cellulose Microfibrils (CMF) -- 3.10 Crystalline Structure of UTS, MSF and CMF -- 3.11 Particle Size Determination: Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) -- 3.12 Thermal Properties -- 3.13 Scanning Electron Microscopy -- 3.14 Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) -- 3.15 Suggested Applications -- 3.16 Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 4: Tannins: A Resource to Elaborate Aromatic and Biobased Polymers -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Tannin Chemistry -- 4.3 Complex Tannins -- 4.4 Condensed Tannins.

4.5 Non-vascular Plant Tannins -- 4.6 Extraction of Tannins -- 4.7 Chemical Modification -- 4.8 Heterocyclic Ring Opening with Acid -- 4.9 Sulfonation -- 4.10 Mannich Reaction -- 4.11 Coupling Reaction -- 4.12 Etherification -- 4.13 Alkoxylation -- 4.14 Toward Biobased Polymers and Materials -- 4.15 Materials Based on Polyurethane -- 4.16 Materials Based on Polyesters -- 4.17 Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 5: Electroactivity and Applications of Jatropha Latex and Seed -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Plant Latex -- 5.3 Jatropha Latex -- 5.4 Jatropha Seed -- 5.5 Material Preparation -- 5.6 Microscopic Observations -- 5.7 Electroactivity in Jatropha Latex -- 5.8 Electroactivity in Jatropha Latex -- 5.9 Applications -- 5.10 Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Chapter 6: Characteristics and Applications of PLA -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Production of PLA -- 6.3 Physical PLA Properties -- 6.4 Microstructure and Thermal Properties -- 6.5 Mechanical Properties of PLA -- 6.6 Barrier Properties of PLA -- 6.7 Degradation Behaviour of PLA -- 6.8 Processing -- 6.9 Nanocomposites -- 6.10 Applications -- 6.11 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 7: PBS Makes its Entrance into the Family of Biobased Plastics -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 PBS Market -- 7.3 PBS Production -- 7.4 Properties of PBS -- 7.5 Copolymers of PBS -- 7.6 PBS Composites and Nanocomposites -- 7.7 Degradation and Recycling -- 7.8 Processing and Applications of PBS and its Copolymers -- 7.9 Conclusions -- Abbreviations -- References -- Chapter 8: Development of Biobased Polymers and Their Composites from Vegetable Oils -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Source and Functional Groups of Vegetable Oil -- 8.3 Direct Crosslinking of Vegetable Oil for Polymer Synthesis -- 8.4 Free Radical Polymerization -- 8.5 Chemical Modification of Vegetable Oils for Polymer Synthesis.

8.6 Polymer Synthesis after Esterification of Vegetable Oils -- 8.7 Polyol and Polyurethanes from Vegetable Oils -- 8.8 Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites from Vegetable Oils -- 8.9 Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 9: Polymers as Drug Delivery Systems -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Types of Modified Drug Delivery Systems -- 9.3 Concept of Drug Delivery Matrix -- 9.4 Polymeric Materials as Carriers for Drug Delivery Systems -- 9.5 Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 10: Nanocellulose as a Millennium Material with Enhancing Adsorption Capacities -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 From Cellulose to Nanocellulose -- 10.3 General Remarks about Adsorption Phenomena -- 10.4 Nanofibrillated Cellulose as a Novel Adsorbent -- 10.5 NFC in Heavy Metal Adsorption -- 10.6 NFC as an Adsorbent for Organic Pollutants -- 10.7 NFC in Oil Adsorption -- 10.8 NFC in Adsorption of Dyes -- 10.9 Nanofibrillar Cellulose as a Flocculent for Waste Water -- 10.10 NFC in CO2 Adsorption -- 10.11 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 11: Towards Biobased Aromatic Polymers from Lignins -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Lignin Chemistry -- 11.3 Isolation of Lignin from Wood -- 11.4 Chemical Modification -- 11.5 Synthesis of New Chemical Active Sites -- 11.6 Functionalization of Hydroxyl Groups -- 11.7 Toward Lignin Based Polymers and Materials -- 11.8 Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 12: Biopolymers - Proteins (Polypeptides) and Nucleic Acids -- 12.1 Structure of Protein Molecules -- 12.2 Abnormal Haemoglobin -- 12.3 Methods for Proteome Analysis -- 12.4 Advantages of the Method -- 12.5 Study of Proteins with Post-Translational Modifications -- 12.6 Biodegradable Polymers -- 12.7 Regulation Gene Function Through RNA Interfering and MicroRNA Pathways -- 12.8 DNA Vaccines -- 12.9 Conclusion -- References.

Chapter 13: Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide-based Multiple-Unit Systems for Sustained Drug Release -- 13.1 Introduction -- 13.2 Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide -- 13.3 Composition -- 13.4 Properties -- 13.5 Use of Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide in Drug Delivery -- 13.6 Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide-based Microparticle/Beads for Sustained Drug Delivery -- 13.7 Extrusion-Spheronization Method -- 13.8 Ionotropic-Gelation Method -- 13.9 Covalent Crosslinking -- 13.10 Combined Ionotropic-Gelation/Covalent Crosslinking -- 13.11 By Ionotropic Emulsion-Gelation -- 13.12 Conclusion -- References -- Index.