Chapters authored
Latest Improvements of Acrylic-Based Polymer Properties for Biomedical Applications By Ángel Serrano-Aroca
Acrylic-based polymers have many currently important biomedical applications such as contact lenses, corneal prosthesis, bone cements, tissue engineering, etc. due to their excellent biocompatibility and suitable performance in mechanical properties, among many other applications. Many of these biomaterials have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for various applications. However, the potential uses of these polymeric materials in the biomedical industry could be increased exponentially if some of their acrylic properties (mechanical strength, electrical and/or thermal properties, water sorption and diffusion, biological interactions, antibacterial activity, porosity, etc.) are enhanced. Thus, acrylics have been fabricated as multicomponent polymeric systems in the form of interpenetrated polymer networks or combined with other advanced materials such as fibers, nanofibers, graphene and its derivatives and/or many other kinds of nanoparticles to form composite or nanocomposite materials, which are expected to exhibit superior properties. Besides, in regenerative medicine, acrylic scaffolds need to be designed with the required extent and morphology of pores by sophisticated techniques. Even though the great advances have been achieved so far, much research has to be carried out still in order to find new strategies to improve the above-mentioned properties.
Part of the book: Acrylic Polymers in Healthcare
Enhancement of Hydrogels’ Properties for Biomedical Applications: Latest Achievements By Ángel Serrano-Aroca
Currently, there are many hydrogels used in many important biomedical fields such as therapeutic delivery, contact lenses, corneal prosthesis, bone cements, wound dressing, 3D tissue scaffolds for tissue engineering, etc., due to their excellent biocompatibility and water sorption properties. Many of these hydrophilic polymers have been already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for various applications. However, many of their potential uses required for many biomedical applications often are hindered by their low mechanical strength, antimicrobial and/or antifouling activity, biological interactions, water sorption and diffusion, porosity, electrical and/or thermal properties, among others. Thus, new advanced hydrogels have been developed as multicomponent systems in the form of composite or nanocomposite materials, which are expected to exhibit superior properties to increase the potential uses of these materials in the biomedical industry. Even though the great advances achieved so far, much research has to be conducted still in order to find new strategies to fabricate novel hydrogels able to overcome many of these problems.
Part of the book: Hydrogels
Acrylic-Based Materials for Biomedical and Bioengineering Applications By Ángel Serrano-Aroca and Sanjukta Deb
Acrylic-based polymers have been used for many years in biomedical applications because of their versatile properties. Many different polymers belong to this class of polymers, of which a significant number have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are frequently used in ophthalmologic devices, orthopaedics, tissue engineering applications and dental applications. The applications of this class of polymers have the potential to be expanded exponentially in the biomedical industry if their properties such as mechanical performance, electrical and/or thermal properties, fluid diffusion, biological behaviour, antimicrobial capacity and porosity can be tailored to specific requirements. Thus, acrylic-based materials have been produced as multicomponent polymeric platforms as interpenetrating polymer networks or in combination with other sophisticated materials such as fibres, nanofibres, carbon nanomaterials such as graphene and its derivatives and/or many other types of nanoparticles in the form of composite or nanocomposite biomaterials. Moreover, in regenerative medicine, acrylic porous supports (scaffolds) need to be structured with the necessary degree, type and morphology of pores by advanced technological fabrication techniques.
Part of the book: Acrylate Polymers for Advanced Applications
Acrylic-Based Hydrogels as Advanced Biomaterials By Ángel Serrano-Aroca and Sanjukta Deb
Acrylate based hydrogels are one of the most promising soft biocompatible material platforms that significantly contribute to the delivery of therapeutics, contact lenses, corneal prosthesis, bone cements and wound dressing, and are being explored widely for potential applications in the field of regenerative medicine. A significant number of these materials, which possess excellent water sorption properties, have been supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States for different applications. Nonetheless, many of their physical and biological properties required for certain biomedical and bioengineering applications are often poor when they are in the hydrated state at the body temperature: tensile/compression performance, water diffusion, antimicrobial activity, antifouling capacity, biological response, porosity for the fabrication of supports or scaffolds for tissue engineering, electrical and/or thermal properties, among other properties. Consequently, new acrylic-based hydrogels have been designed as multicomponent systems such as interpenetrated polymer networks, composites and nanocomposite materials, which have exhibited superior properties able to substantially enhance potential uses of these materials in the biomedical and bioengineering industry.
Part of the book: Acrylate Polymers for Advanced Applications