Functionalized Polysulfones: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications focuses on polysulfones and their derivatives, which are widely used as functional materials in the biochemical, industrial, and medical fields due to their structural and physical characteristics, such as good optical properties, high thermal and chemical stability, mechanical strength, resistance to extreme pH values, and low creep. Because of their antimicrobial actions, solubility characteristics, water permeability, and separation, the functional groups, which modify the hydrophilicity of polysulfones, are of particular interest for biomedical applications. In addition, the functional groups are an intrinsic requirement for affinity, ion exchange, and other special membranes.

In this book, the bioapplications of polysulfones are presented in two categories: blood-contacting devices (e.g., membranes for hemodialysis, hemodiafiltration, and hemofiltration) and cell- or tissue-contacting devices (e.g., bioreactors made by hollow-fiber membrane and nerve generation through polysulfone semipermeable hollow membrane). Surface wettability and hydrophilicity trends, as well as the morphological characteristics of modified polysulfones, are analyzed for semipermeable membrane purposes. Select chapters provide an introduction to chelating units on the modified polysulfone structure to obtain potential applications, such as surface coatings on metals and glasses, adhesives, high-temperature lubricants, electrical insulators, semiconductors, and the reduction of heavy-metal pollution in ecosystems.

Featuring recent scientific information, Functionalized Polysulfones: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications advances the basic knowledge of students and researchers working in the field of polymeric materials, including physicists, chemists, engineers, bioengineers, and biologists.

Silvia Ioan is a senior scientific researcher in the Department of Chemical Physics at the Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Romanian Academy, Iasi. She obtained her Ph.D in physical sciences from the University of Bucharest, Romania. Her scientific contributions include interdisciplinary research for theoretical and experimental substantiations of the processes and technologies at nano-, micro-, and macroscales. In 48 years of work, Dr. Ioan has published more than 300 scientific papers, books, and book chapters. She is the Ph.D supervisor in chemistry at the doctoral school of the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry--Romanian Academy, an expert reviewer of prestigious scientific journals, and a recipient of the Nicolae Teclu prize from the Romanian Academy of Science.