About this Research Topic
In the field of biomedical research, the need for new materials is rapidly growing. Such material needs to be stable and present good mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. For these reasons, biopolymers derived from renewable sources have gained significant attention for researchers, mainly due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, abundance, and abundance of functional groups. These biopolymers can be crosslinked with organic and inorganic moieties to give materials with better mechanical behaviour and improved stability.
Materials based on polysaccharides present poor mechanical properties and inadequate stability besides their excellent biocompatibility. This Research Topic wants to highlight the innovative solutions created by the association between polysaccharides with inorganic and organic molecules that result in composites that combine the advantages of both materials. These biopolymers, once associated with synthetic polymers and inorganic materials, obtain better mechanical performance, low resistance, and antimicrobial property maintaining the same (bio)compatibility as the starting polysaccharides. Depending on the preparation route, several materials can be obtained, such as hydrogels, polyelectrolyte complexes, gels, fibres, bioadhesives, micelles, and hybrids materials. The inorganic materials involved are usually carbon nanotubes, silver nanoparticles, metallic ions, and hydroxyapatite, among others. The biopolymers commonly used include chitosan, pectin, cellulose, gellan gum, Arabic gum, alginate, starch, carrageenan, gelatin, collagen, glycerol, etc. Finally, some organic molecules can be used as crosslinking agents, such as methacrylate, acrylamide, tannic acid, glutaraldehyde, etc. The polysaccharide-based composites obtained can be employed as scaffolds, in wound healing, bioadhesives, hemostatic, drug delivery systems, and prostheses.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Synthesis and characterization of novel biomedical devices based on composites containing polysaccharides;
• Studies involving the interaction, solubilization, and evaluation of controlled release of drugs and polymeric materials;
• Development of physically crosslinked materials based on polysaccharides for biomedical applications;
• Chemical modification of polysaccharides aiming the obtention of biomedical products;
• In vitro and in vivo studies involving the biocompatibility of composites based on polysaccharides and inorganic materials.
Materials based on polysaccharides present poor mechanical properties and inadequate stability besides their excellent biocompatibility. This Research Topic wants to highlight the innovative solutions created by the association between polysaccharides with inorganic and organic molecules that result in composites that combine the advantages of both materials. These biopolymers, once associated with synthetic polymers and inorganic materials, obtain better mechanical performance, low resistance, and antimicrobial property maintaining the same (bio)compatibility as the starting polysaccharides. Depending on the preparation route, several materials can be obtained, such as hydrogels, polyelectrolyte complexes, gels, fibres, bioadhesives, micelles, and hybrids materials. The inorganic materials involved are usually carbon nanotubes, silver nanoparticles, metallic ions, and hydroxyapatite, among others. The biopolymers commonly used include chitosan, pectin, cellulose, gellan gum, Arabic gum, alginate, starch, carrageenan, gelatin, collagen, glycerol, etc. Finally, some organic molecules can be used as crosslinking agents, such as methacrylate, acrylamide, tannic acid, glutaraldehyde, etc. The polysaccharide-based composites obtained can be employed as scaffolds, in wound healing, bioadhesives, hemostatic, drug delivery systems, and prostheses.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Review, Mini Review, and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:
• Synthesis and characterization of novel biomedical devices based on composites containing polysaccharides;
• Studies involving the interaction, solubilization, and evaluation of controlled release of drugs and polymeric materials;
• Development of physically crosslinked materials based on polysaccharides for biomedical applications;
• Chemical modification of polysaccharides aiming the obtention of biomedical products;
• In vitro and in vivo studies involving the biocompatibility of composites based on polysaccharides and inorganic materials.
Keywords: Natural biopolymers, composites, polysaccharides, proteins, polyesters, drug delivery, scaffolds, hydrogels, polyelectrolyte complexes, tissue engineering, electrospinning, layer-by-layer, inorganic materials
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
