Natural Polymers, Biopolymers, Biomaterials, and Their Composites, Blends, and IPNs focuses on the recent advances in natural polymers, biopolymers, biomaterials, and their composites, blends, and IPNs. Biobased polymer blends and composites occupy a unique position in the dynamic world of new biomaterials. The growing need for lubricious coatings and surfaces in medical devices--an outcome of the move from invasive to noninvasive medicines/procedures--is playing a major role in the advancement of biomaterials technology. Natural polymers have attained their cutting-edge technology through various platforms, yet there is a lot of novel information about them that is discussed in the book.

This important work covers topics such as chitosan composites for biomedical applications and wastewater treatment, coal biotechnology, biomedical and related applications of second generation polyamidoamines, silk fibers, PEG hydrogels, bamboo fiber reinforced PE composites, jute/polyester composites, magnetic biofoams, and many other interesting aspects of importance to polymer research today.

Dr. Sabu Thomas is the Director of the School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, India. He is also a full professor of polymer science and engineering and the Director of the Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology of the same university. He is a fellow of many professional bodies. Professor Thomas has authored or co-authored many papers in international peer-reviewed journals in the area of polymer processing. He has organized several international conferences and has more than 420 publications, 11 books and two patents to his credit. He has been involved in a number of books both as author and editor. He is a reviewer to many international journals and has received many awards for his excellent work in polymer processing. His h Index is 42. Professor Thomas is listed as the 5th position in the list of Most Productive Researchers in India, in 2008.

Neethu Ninan is doing joint doctoral research in nanomedicine and tissue engineering at both the University of South Brittany (Lorient, France) and the Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.

Sneha Mohan is doing doctoral research in nanomaterial synthesis and nanotechnology at the Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.

Elizabeth Francis is doing doctoral research in polymer nanocomposites at the School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.