This major work reviews key research in the interfacial phenomena of polymers and biopolymers, examining their use in fields such as biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, and nanotechnology. Part I covers the thermodynamics, kinetics, and other fundamental properties of polymer surfaces and interfaces, while Part II reviews ways of characterizing and manipulating interfacial phenomena. Part III presents examples of the use of polymeric materials in practical applications such as vaccine delivery, tissue engineering, the development of therapeutic lung surfactants, and bioseparation.

From the Preface: “...Among important biomaterials, proteins and peptides can be regarded as polymeric materials; their properties and behavior are largely determined by their molecular structure, or amino acid sequence, more preceisely This is the same notion as we would carry for studying polymers. Quite often, much of our effort is to identify the structure—property relationships of a polymer. Thus, many approaches and experience gained with polymer studies can be readily used for protein and peptide (i.e., biopolymer) research. It is this interdisciplinary nature that many researchers have been exploiting in their research on biomaterials, and we think many others can benefit from a book that would address this effective approach, as well as updated research results on (bio)polymer surfaces and interfaces...This book covers the state-of-the-art developments on molecular mechanisms and thermodynamic behaviour of polymers and biopolymers at interfaces, from both theoretical and experimental points of view...”

Target Audience: Academic and industrial scientists and technologists, as well as upper-level students, who wish to further their understanding of surfaces and interfaces of polymers and biopolymers.

Table of Contents:

Fundamentals:

Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Protein/Surfactant Mixtures Adsorbed at Liquid Interfaces

Molecular Modelling of Polymer Surfaces and Interfaces

Non-Fickian Diffusion in Systems with Complex Interfaces

Semiflexible Polymers: From Statics to Dynamics

Thermodynamics of Contact Angles on Rough, Heterogeneous Surfaces

Characterisation and Manipulation:

Scanning Probe Microscopy — Applications for the Study of Soft Materials

Application of Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis (ADSA) to the Study of Biomolecules

Polyelectrolyte Coupling with Lipid Monolayers

Surface-Energetic Properties of Polymers in Controlled Architecture

Interfacial Properties of Amphiphilic Dendritic Polymers

Applications:

Self-Assembly of Peptides and Its Potential Application

Physicochemical Modulation of Immobilised Extracellular Matrix

Biodegradable Polymer Microparticles for Genetic Vaccine Delivery

Triblock Copolymers As Promoters of Solubilization of Oils in Aqueous Surfactant Solutions

Surface and Interfacial Studies of Plant Biopolymers

Polymeric Composite Membranes and Biomimetic Affinity Ligands for Bioseparation and Immunoadsorption

Index