Biopolymer Membranes and Films: Health, Food, Environment, and Energy Applications presents the latest techniques for the design and preparation of biopolymer-based membranes and films, leading to a range of cutting-edge applications. The first part of the book introduces the fundamentals of biopolymers, two-dimensional systems, and the characterization of biopolymer membranes and films, considering physicochemical, mechanical and barrier properties. Subsequent sections are organized by application area, with each chapter explaining how biopolymer-based membranes or films can be developed for specific innovative uses across the health, food, environmental and energy sectors. This book is a valuable resource for researchers, scientists and advanced students involved in biopolymer science, polymer membranes and films, polymer chemistry and materials science, as well as for those in industry and academia who are looking to develop materials for advanced applications in the health, food science, environment or energy industries. Presents detailed coverage of a range of novel applications in key strategic areas across health, food, environment and energy Considers the difficulties associated with two-dimensional materials Assists the reader in selecting the best materials and properties for specific applications Helps researchers, scientists and engineers combine the enhanced properties of membranes and films with the sustainable characteristics of biopolymer-based materials

In science as well as in industry, the impetus of research on bio-based polymers has recently expanded into new terrains. The need to replace fossil-based materials with sustainable and renewable sources is one of the main drivers for the emergence and the development of new and environmentally friendly materials. While some materials applications of bio-based polymers are already very well established, for instance, in paper and textiles, others have just emerged with thin films and coatings being a recent and particular area of interest. Thin films in general are an enormous field of research both fundamentally and from an applied perspective, with uses ranging from corrosion resistance to photovoltaics and sensors. Since bio-based materials are a relatively novel source material for thin films, the research in this area is at a fresh, exciting stage at the moment.

This book is a companion volume to two published in 2011 by INTECH titled “Desalination, Trends and Technologies” and “Expanding Issues in Desalination”. The term “desalination” used in this series is in the broadest sense of the removal of dissolved, suspended, visible and invisible impurities in seawater, brackish water and wastewater. The purpose of desalination is to make water drinkable, or pure enough for industrial applications like in the processes for the production of steam, power, pharmaceuticals and microelectronics, or simply for attaining acceptable qualities for discharge back into the environment. This volume touches on Membranes and Systems, Solar Desalination, Reverse Osmosis Process Chemistry and Control, Drinking Water Quality, and Selective Waste Product Removal. The value of these volumes on the vast topic of desalination is to present the landscape to students, teachers and practitioners, with key concepts and keywords useful in gathering publications through internet search engines. The technologies of desalination of water are advancing as rapidly as the cry of human kind for more availability of quality water supply while minimizing environmental pollution. Contributions to the knowledge-base of desalination are expected to continue to grow exponentially in the coming years.

The term biomimetic is comparatively new on the chemical scene, but the concept has been utilized by chemists for many years. Furthermore, the basic idea of making a synthetic material that can imitate the func tions of natural materials probably could be traced back into antiquity. From the dawn of creation, people have probably attempted to duplicate or modify the activities of the natural world. (One can even find allusions to these attempts in the Bible; e. g. , Genesis 30. ) The term "mimetic" means to imitate or mimic. The word "mimic" means to copy closely, or to imitate accurately. Biomimetic, which has not yet entered most dictionaries, means to imitate or mimic some specific bio logical function. Usually, the objective of biomimetics is to form some useful material without the need of utilizing living systems. In a simi lar manner, the term biomimetic polymers means creating synthetic poly mers which imitate the activity of natural bioactive polymers. This is a major advance in polymer chemistry because the natural bioactive polymers are the basis of life itself. Thus, biomimetic polymers imitate the life process in many ways. This present volume delineates some of the recent progress being made in this vast field of biomimetic polymers. Chemists have been making biomimetic polymers for more than fifty years, although this term wasn't used in the early investigations.

During the past few decades, much research has been reported on the formation of insoluble monomolecular films of lipids and biopolymers (synthetic polymers and proteins) on the surface of water or at the oil-water interface. This interest arises from the fact that monomolecular film studies have been found to provide much useful information on a molecular scale, information that is useful for understanding many industrial and biological phenomena in chemical, agricultural, pharmaceutical, medical, and food science applications. For instance, information obtained from lipid monolayer studies has been useful in determining the forces that are known to stabilize emulsions and biological cell membranes. The current texts on surface chemistry generally devote a single chapter to the characteristics of spread monolayers of lipids and biopolymers on liquids, and a researcher may have to review several hundred references to determine the procedures needed to investigate or analyze a particular phenomenon. Furthermore, there is an urgent need at this stage for a text that discusses the state of the art regarding the surface pheqomena exhibited by lipids and biopolymers, as they are relevant to a wide variety of surface and interfacial processes.

APPLICATIONS OF BIOPOLYMERS IN SCIENCE, BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND ENGINEERING Single volume resource covering the many different applications of biopolymers, along with foundational knowledge like biodegradability and recent advancements Along with providing in-depth discussions on the fundamentals of biopolymers, such as synthesis, fabrication technologies, and properties, Applications of Biopolymers in Science, Biotechnology, and Engineering covers the applications of biopolymers in various fields such as biotechnology, construction and civil engineering, tissue engineering, dairy technology, packaging, electronics, food, medicine, tissue engineering, and biotechnology. Overall, the text conveys a broad overview of the field, enabling readers to grasp both the fundamentals and applications of the subject. Edited by three highly qualified academics with significant experience in the field, Applications of Biopolymers in Science, Biotechnology, and Engineering covers sample topics such as: Biopolymer blends, IPNs, gels, composites, and nanocomposites, and the properties, fabrication and applications of synthetic biopolymers Role of biopolymers and their composites in sustainable agriculture, covering recent developments and future perspectives Polymers suitable for the fabrication of prosthetics, and polymers’ uses in different stages of drug delivery and drug design Life cycle analysis, biodegradability, and advances in the overall field of biopolymers, along with polymers and biopolymers in sensing applications Covering both foundational knowledge and a myriad of applications, Applications of Biopolymers in Science, Biotechnology, and Engineering is an essential resource on the subject for practitioners, researchers, and scientists in polymer science and engineering, materials science, surface science, bioengineering, chemical engineering, and any industry/field interested in biopolymers and/or nanocomposites.

The subject of this book is synthetic polymeric membranes, the thin polymer films in either solid or liquid states which act as semipermeable barriers for gaseous, liquid, or solid permeants.