Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Polymers

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Polymers is the only book available for introducing polymers to graduate or post-graduate students who use them in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields.

Polymers are becoming increasingly present in the domain of health yet introduction to polymers is not frequently taught. This much needed and timely book will provide students with an introduction to general concepts of polymer science and some insights into speciality polymers.

In four sections the book covers:

• why study polymers for the health sciences?
• general characteristics of polymers
• main methods and processes to synthesize polymers
• special properties of polymers

The final section of the book also contains case studies and detailed examples of biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Polymers is a user-friendly textbook which will be an essential reference for postgraduate pharmaceutical science students, pharmaceutical scientists worldwide and pharmacy undergraduate students with an interest in polymers.

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Polymers is also available as an eBook.

1. Introduction: Why study polymers for the health sciences

• Polymers are large molecules that nature relies on
• A brief history of polymers
• Definitions
• Morphology and nomenclature of polymers

2. General characteristics of polymers

• Characterisation of polymers
• Specific properties of polymers in the presence of liquid media
• Relationships between structure of polymers and cohesion of materials
• Properties of polymers as materials

3. Main methods and processes to synthesise polymers

• Why there is a need to synthesise polymers
• Introducing step and chain polymerisation
• Some examples of step polymerisation: from small reagents and from prepolymers
• Free radical chain polymerisation
• Limitations of polymerisation
• Overview of other synthetic methods
• Polymerisation reaction processes
• Copolymerisation
• Modifications of polymers

4. Special properties of polymers, case studies and detailed examples of applications

• Properties of block copolymers: phase separation in solution and at solid state
• Biodegradable and bioerodible polymers
• Applications of polymers in biomedical uses
• Applications of polymers in pharmaceutical uses

Glossary