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Engineering of Natural Polymeric Gels and Aerogels for Multifunctional Applications brings together detailed information on gels, hydrogels, and aerogels derived from natural polymers, covering materials, processing, fabrication techniques, structure-property relationships, and novel applications. The book begins by introducing polymeric gels, hydrogels, and aerogels, the different types and properties, advantages and disadvantages, manufacturing techniques, production and scalability, and the possible applications. This is followed by thorough coverage of processing methods for obtaining natural polymer-based gels and hydrogels, with separate chapters focusing on physical processes, chemical processes, green processes, and processing for aerogels. The final chapters of the book focus on the preparation of natural polymer-based gels, hydrogels, and aerogels for many state-of-the-art applications, including biomedical, absorbent, energy saving, filtration, and sensing areas. Engineering of Natural Polymeric Gels and Aerogels for Multifunctional Applications is an essential resource for all those with an interest in polymeric gels and natural polymers, including researchers and scientists in polymer engineering, polymer chemistry, sustainable materials, biomaterials, materials science and engineering, and chemical engineering. In industry, this book supports scientists, R&D, and engineers looking to utilize novel bio-based materials for advanced applications.
List of contents
1. Introduction to Polymeric Aerogels
2. Physical Processes to Obtain Gels and Hydrogels from Natural Polymers
3. Chemical Processes to Obtain Gels and Hydrogels from Natural Polymers
4. Green Processes to Obtain Gels and Hydrogels from Natural Polymers
5. Processes to Obtain Aerogels from Natural Polymers
6. Natural Polymer Gels, Hydrogels and Aerogels for Biomedical Applications
7. Natural Polymer Gels, Hydrogels and Aerogels for Absorbent Applications
8. Natural Polymer Gels, Hydrogels and Aerogels for Energy Saving Applications
9. Natural Polymer Gels, Hydrogels and Aerogels for Filtration Applications
10. Natural Polymer Gels, Hydrogels and Aerogels for Sensing Applications
11. Natural polymers, Silica and Carbon-based Aerogels: Catalytic Applications in Fine Chemical Synthesis. An Overview
12. Green processes to obtain seaweed polysaccharides based functional hydrogel & aerogel membranes for potential health and separation applications
13. Preparation and applications of aerogels-energy storage applications
14. Preparation and applications of aerogels-energy storage applications
15. Gels, hydrogels, and aerogels for absorbent applications
16. Synthesis and characterization of biopolymer aerogels for biomedical applications
17. Natural Composite Gels, Hydrogels, and Aerogels for Sensing Applications
About the author
Sabu Thomas is a Professor and Director of the International and Interuniversity Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India. Professor Thomas is internationally recognized for his contributions to polymer science and engineering, with his research interests encompassing polymer nanocomposites, elastomers, polymer blends, interpenetrating polymer networks, polymer membranes, green composites, nanocomposites, nanomedicine, and green nanotechnology. His groundbreaking inventions in polymer nanocomposites, polymer blends, green bionanotechnology, and nano-biomedical sciences have significantly advanced the development of new materials for the automotive, space, housing, and biomedical fields.
Dr. Bastien Seantier is a chemical physicist working in the field of material sciences, currently as associate professor at the Institute of Research Dupuy De Lôme, University of South Britany, Lorient, France. With a background in materials science and polymer chemistry, he completed his PhD in chemical physics for macromolecular imprinting on lipid bilayers at the Institute Charles Sadron, Strasbourg, France, in 2004. Dr. Seantier’s current research deals with designing new polysaccharide aerogels for multifunctional applications. Starting from cellulose nanofibers extracted from several natural resources, he aims to develop biomaterials for various applications, such as thermal insulation, biomedical applications, bio-sensors, filtration, and biocomposites. These materials are now designed with various polysaccharide bioresources and processes as environmentally friendly as possible, like freeze-drying or spray freeze-drying. The aim is to control and tune the structure and morphology of the aerogels to specific applications.Blessy Joseph is a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. She earned degrees in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering from the University of Kerala, India, including a master’s focused on Molecular Medicine. She later pursued her PhD
in the same field at Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India. Her research focuses on nanotechnology, drug delivery systems, biomaterials, and polymer nanocomposites for tissue engineering.
