Polysaccharide Building Blocks: A Sustainable Approach to the Development of Renewable Biomaterials

Provides the foundation needed to develop renewable biofuels and biomaterials Polysaccharides such as cellulose, chitin, and starch are among the most abundant biomaterials on our planet. Due to their enormous potential for processing into renewable biomaterials, they have become the subject of increasing research around the world. Polysaccharide Building Blocks brings together all the latest discoveries and applications of polysaccharides, providing readers with an up–to–date understanding of their physical, chemical, and biological properties. Moreover, the authors discuss the inherent "tunability" of polysaccharides, explaining how and why they are ideal for the development and manufacturing of new sustainable materials. The book begins with a fundamental overview of recent advances in cellulosic chemistry. Next, it covers such important topics as: The ability of some polysaccharides to be processed in nano–sized building blocks promoting the emergence of engineered nanomaterials based on natural polysaccharides Chitin′s potential in structural and functional nanocomposite applications and biomedical applications such as bioadhesives and hemostatics Emerging applications that take advantage of the electrical conductivity of polysaccharides Ability of porous polysaccharides to deliver new, valuable absorption, storage, and delivery functionalities Chemical and physical properties as well as techniques and approaches for processing starch–based bio–nanocomposites Potential uses of heteropolysaccharides as biomaterials Each chapter has been contributed by one or more leading international experts in the field of renewable biomaterials. In addition to reviewing the current state of the science, the authors recommend future directions in research and conclude each chapter with a list of references guiding readers to the primary literature in the field. This fundamental review of the chemistry and engineering of renewable poly–saccharides provides the foundation that scientists need to develop a broad range of renewable materials and applications that are essential for a green economy and a sustainable planet.

Foreword vii Preface ix Contributors xi 1 Recent Advances in Cellulose Chemistry 1 Thomas Heinze and Katrin Petzold–Welcke 2 Cellulosic Aerogels 51 Falk Liebner, Emmerich Haimer, Antje Potthast, and Thomas Rosenau 3 Nanocelluloses: Emerging Building Blocks for Renewable Materials 105 Youssef Habibi and Lucian A. Lucia 4 Interactions of Chitosan with Metals for Water Purification 127 Mohammed Rhazi, Abdelouhad Tolaimate, and Youssef Habibi 5 Recent Developments in Chitin and Chitosan Bio–Based Materials Used for Food Preservation 143 Véronique Coma 6 Chitin and Chitosan as Biomaterial Building Blocks 177 JoséF. Louvier–Hernández and Ram B. Gupta 7 Chitosan Derivatives for Bioadhesive/Hemostatic Applications: Chemical and Biological Aspects 199 Mai Yamazaki and Samuel M. Hudson 8 Chitin Nanofibers as Building Blocks for Advanced Materials 227 Youssef Habibi and Lucian A. Lucia 9 Electrical Conductivity and Polysaccharides 247 Axel Rußler and Thomas Rosenau 10 Polysaccharide–Based Porous Materials 271 Peter S. Shuttleworth, Avtar Matharu, and James H. Clark 11 Starch–Based Bionanocomposites: Processing and Properties 287 Visakh P. M., Aji P. Mathew, Kristiina Oksman, and Sabu Thomas 12 Starch–Based Sustainable Materials 307 Luc Avérous 13 The Potential of Xylans as Biomaterial Resources 331 Anna Ebringerova 14 Micro– and Nanoparticles from Hemicelluloses 367 Emmerich Haimer, Falk Liebner, Antje Potthast, and Thomas Rosenau 15 Nonxylan Hemicelluloses as a Source of Renewable Materials 387 David Plackett and Natanya Hansen Index 409

YOUSSEF HABIBI, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Forest Bio–materials at North Carolina State University. His research investigates biocomposites and biomaterials engineering; cellulose nanocrystals self–assembly; natural fibers; reinforced polymer composites and nanocomposites; the isolation, analysis, treatment, and chemical modification and utilization of biomass components; and surface modification of natural fibers and their nanocrystals. LUCIAN A. LUCIA, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Forest Biomaterials at North Carolina State University. His recent work focuses on the chemistry of wood pulping processes, with an emphasis on hydrosulfide chemistry. Dr. Lucia cofounded and coedits BioResources, dedicated to advanced applications of lignocellulosics.