Polymeric Biomaterials Research Articles

Polycarbonate-Based Polymersome Photosensitizers with Cell-Penetrating Properties for Improved Killing of Cancer Cells.

Polymer-based photosensitizers have found various applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT). However, the absence of targeting ability commonly results in a substantial reduction in photosensitizer accumulation at the tumor site, significantly limiting the therapeutic efficacy of the system. In addition, the development of biodegradable polymeric photosensitizers is of critical importance for biological applications. In this work, we present the development of guanidine-functionalized biodegradable photosensitizers based on poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) block copolymers, which can self-assemble into polymersomes. The presence of guanidine groups on the surface of polymersomes can significantly enhance the cellular uptake efficiency of photosensitizers, thereby improving the intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The in vitro study demonstrates that the guanidinylated polymersome photosensitizers can promote the killing of cancer cells compared to unfunctionalized polymersomes in the presence of light irradiation. The guanidine-functionalized PTMC-based polymersome photosensitizers, with the integration of cell-targeting ability and biodegradability, are anticipated to provide a novel strategy for developing advanced biomedical polymer systems for PDT.

Evaluation of osseointegration of plasma treated polyaryletherketone maxillofacial implants

Osseointegration is a crucial property of biomaterials used for bone defect repair. While titanium is the gold standard in craniofacial surgeries, various polymeric biomaterials are being explored as alternatives. However, polymeric materials can be bioinert, hindering integration with surrounding tissues. In this investigation, plasma ion immersion implantation (PIII)-treated polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and polyether ketone (PEK) implants were assessed in a sheep maxilla and mandible model. Defects were filled with PIII-treated PEEK and PEK implants, produced through fused filament fabrication (FFF) and selective laser sintering (SLS), respectively. Positive controls were grade 23 titanium implants via selective laser melting, while untreated PEEK implants served as negative controls. Surface analyses using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed favorable properties. Osseointegration was qualitatively and quantitatively assessed at 8-, 10-, and 12-weeks post-implantation, showing significantly improved outcomes for both PIII-treated PEEK and PEK implants compared to untreated controls. The study suggests PIII treatment enhances FFF-printed PEEK’s osseointegration, and PIII-treated SLS-printed PEK achieves comparable osseointegration to 3D printed titanium. These findings underscore surface modification strategies’ potential for polymeric biomaterials, offering insights into developing alternative implant materials for craniofacial surgeries, with enhanced biocompatibility and osseointegration capabilities for improved clinical outcomes.

Integrating 3D printing of biomaterials with nitric oxide release.

The pivotal roles played by nitric oxide (NO) in tissue repair, inflammation, and immune response have spurred the development of a wide range of NO-releasing biomaterials. More recently, 3D printing techniques have significantly broadened the potential applications of polymeric biomaterials in biomedicine. In this context, the development of NO-releasing biomaterials that can be fabricated through 3D printing techniques has emerged as a promising strategy for harnessing the benefits of localized NO release from implantable devices, tissue regeneration scaffolds, or bandages for topical applications. Although 3D printing techniques allow for the creation of polymeric constructs with versatile designs and high geometric precision, integrating NO-releasing functional groups or molecules into these constructs poses several challenges. NO donors, such as S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) or diazeniumdiolates (NONOates), may release NO thermally, complicating their incorporation into resins that require heating for extrusion-based 3D printing. Conversely, NO released photochemically from RSNOs effectively inhibits radical propagation, thus hindering photoinduced 3D printing processes. This review outlines the primary strategies employed to overcome these challenges in developing NO-releasing biomaterials via 3D printing, and explores future prospects in this rapidly evolving field.

One-pot fabrication of a stable POM/MIL-101(Fe) hybrid catalyst supported on a chitosan biopolymer matrix: A study on biodiesel production through RSM optimization, experimental studies, and mechanistic insight

One-pot fabrication of a stable POM/MIL-101(Fe) hybrid catalyst supported on a chitosan biopolymer matrix: A study on biodiesel production through RSM optimization, experimental studies, and mechanistic insight

Enzyme-Responsive Chitosan-Based Electrospun Nanofibers for Enhanced Detection of β-Glucuronidase from Pathogenic E. coli

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health challenge, leading to the ineffectiveness of numerous conventional antibiotics against various bacterial infections. Hence the rapid detection and identification of pathogenic bacteria are imperative for managing AMR and implementing suitable treatment approaches. To improve rapid detection, a biopolymer-based autonomously reporting enzyme-sensitive biopolymer material has been developed for detecting β-glucuronidase (β-Gus) from pathogenic E. coli. In the presence of enzyme β-Gus a blue-colored fluorophore is released from functionalized electrospun chitosan-polyethylene oxide nanofibers, which is monitored via fluorescence spectroscopy. The nanofibers exhibited a 3.4 times enhanced sensitivity compared to neat hydrogels and also to related chromogenic sensing materials. For an observation time of 60 minutes, a limit of detection (LOD) for β-Gus was determined to be 4.7 nM. This nanofiber sensing substrate was then studied with the pathogenic E. coli strain NCTC 10418, showing a three times greater sensitivity compared to the hydrogel substrate. These results are attributed to a larger surface to volume ratio of the electrospun chitosan nanofibers compared to the neat swollen hydrogel.

Green Synthesis of Urethane-Linked Tamarind Seed Xyloglucan: Thermal Stability, Antibacterial Properties, andDFT Study.

This study presents a feasible, one-pot synthesis approach for the preparation of a composite biopolymer material derived from tamarind seed xyloglucan (XG) by utilizing isocyanate chemistry. Through a facile reaction process, urethane bonds are formed in XG, resulting in the formation of a crosslinked network. FTIR spectra confirm the successful urethane link formation in XG via the OH-NCO reaction, and CHN analysis provides insights into the elemental composition. The synthesized XG-urethane composite (U-XG) exhibits enhanced thermal stability compared to native XG, with an enhanced degradation temperature (T5%) of 276°C (XG marked T5% at a lower temperature of 163°C). The optimized geometric structure, hydrogen bond types, and hydrogen bond strength of the synthesized U-XG are computationally studied by density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. This study also investigates the antibacterial efficacy of both XG and U-XG against a panel of pathogenic bacteria, including gram-positive bacteria such as S. aureus and S. epidermidis, as well as gram-negative E. coli. The U-XG demonstrates superior antibacterial activity against S. epidermidis compared to pristine XG. This research showcases the feasibility of a one-pot synthesis approach for preparing urethane-linked XG with enhanced thermal properties and superior antibacterial activity, offering promising prospects for biomedical and antimicrobial applications.

Pectin/alginate biocomposite film embedded with surfactant-modified microalgal biomass for efficient removal of methyl orange from aqueous solutions

Microalgae, with their rapid growth and broad availability, offer significant potential as biosorbents for wastewater dye removal. This study develops a novel biocomposite film combining pectin, alginate, and surfactant-modified Chlorella vulgaris biomass to help methyl orange (MO), an anionic azo dye that is widely used in industry, adsorb to the film. Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB) was used to prepare the biomass, and calcium chloride cross-linking was used to embed it in a biopolymer matrix. Characterization reveals an increase in surface area and pore size due to encapsulation, while adsorption was driven by electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interactions. Batch experiments examined the effects of pH (2–10), dye concentration (50–300 mg/L), contact time (up to 1440 min), and temperature (30–50 °C) on adsorption. Optimal conditions included pH 8.0, 420 min of contact time, and 30 °C, achieving a maximum MO uptake of 112.06 ± 1.18 mg/g. Morphological analysis showed that the biocomposite’s surface had a powdery residue left over after the dye was adsorbed. This residue had higher levels of carbon and oxygen, which was consistent with the dye’s composition. The biocomposite exhibited two points of zero charge at pH 4.0 and 11.9. Adsorption data fit the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order equation, and thermodynamic analysis confirmed the exothermic and spontaneous nature of the process. The finding highlights the potential of this economical biocomposite film for efficient MO removal, presenting a sustainable approach to wastewater treatment.

Dual-fluorescent starch biopolymer films containing 5-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine powder as a functional nanofiller

Physical and photophysical properties of starch-based biopolymer films containing 5-(4-nitrophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine (NTA) powder as a nanofiller were examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), stationary UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy as well as resonance light scattering (RLS) and time-resolved measurements, and where possible, analyzed with reference to pristine NTA solutions. AFM studies revealed that the addition of NTA into the starch biopolymer did not significantly affect surface roughness, with all examined films displaying similar Sq values ranging from 70.7 nm to 79.7 nm. Similarly, Young’s modulus measurements showed no significant changes after incorporating the 1,3,4-thiadiazole. Adhesion force and water contact angle assessments demonstrated that the films maintained high hydrophilicity (water wetting) across all examined films. Color analysis corroborated the anticipated trend, showing that increasing additive content resulted in decreased lightness and increased yellowness. Interestingly, however, while in polar isopropanol solvent at low concentration, NTA shows a typical single-band emission, centered at 410 nm and a slight enhancement of the band on the long-wavelength side around 530 nm, its incorporation into the biopolymer matrices results in the appearance of dual fluorescence signal with maxima at 430 and 530 nm. Concentration-dependence emission experiments, demonstrating that with even a slight increase of the amount of NTA in solution, an additional, weak long-wavelength emission band emerged within the spectral range corresponding to the intensive band in the biopolymer film, along with results of the performed quantum-chemical studies, including both the monomeric and aggregated (dimer and trimer) models, conclusively unveil that the dual fluorescence observed in starch/NTA films is due to molecular aggregation effects resulting in aggregation-induced emission. This study underscores the potential of NTA as an additive in biobased polymer films, furnishing them with new photophysical features without substantially altering their surface properties and thus enabling their extended applications.

Innovative Polymeric Biomaterials for Intraocular Lenses in Cataract Surgery.

Intraocular lenses (IOLs) play a pivotal role in restoring vision following cataract surgery. The evolution of polymeric biomaterials has been central to addressing challenges such as biocompatibility, optical clarity, mechanical stability, and resistance to opacification. This review explores essential requirements for IOL biomaterials, emphasizing their ability to mitigate complications like posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and dysphotopsias while maintaining long-term durability and visual quality. Traditional polymeric materials, including polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), silicone, and acrylic polymers, are critically analyzed alongside cutting-edge innovations such as hydrogels, shape memory polymers, and light-adjustable lenses (LALs). Advances in polymer engineering have enabled these materials to achieve enhanced flexibility, transparency, and biocompatibility, driving their adoption in modern IOL design. Functionalization strategies, including surface modifications and drug-eluting designs, highlight advancements in preventing inflammation, infection, and other complications. The incorporation of UV-blocking and blue-light-filtering agents is also examined for their potential in reducing retinal damage. Furthermore, emerging technologies like nanotechnology and smart polymer-based biomaterials offer promising avenues for personalized, biocompatible IOLs with enhanced performance. Clinical outcomes, including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and patient satisfaction, are evaluated to provide an understanding of the current advancements and limitations in IOL development. We also discuss the current challenges and future directions, underscoring the need for cost-effective, innovative polymer-based solutions to optimize surgical outcomes and improve patients' quality of life.

AI-powered breakthroughs in material science and biomedical polymers

This commentary examines how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are transforming biomedical polymers, drug delivery systems, wearable electronics, smart materials, advanced manufacturing, and neuromorphic technologies. AI enhances prediction accuracy, optimizes material properties, accelerates development, and enables innovative applications such as smart biomaterials, personalized medicine, and tissue engineering. Specific applications include predicting polymer properties, optimizing drug release kinetics, improving drug delivery system design, and creating responsive materials for advanced biomedical devices. AI also advances wearable sensors, flexible electronics, 3D/4D printing, sustainable materials, and neuromorphic computing, leading to breakthroughs in health monitoring, human-computer interaction, and environmental sustainability.

Enhancing biopolymer materials with coffee waste‐derived reinforcements

AbstractThe rising consumption of coffee produces significant waste, posing environmental challenges. However, coffee waste serves as a low‐cost, abundant source of biocompounds to enhance polymer composites. The review examines the use of coffee waste as a filler in polymer matrices to create eco‐friendly composites with improved mechanical, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. Chemical modifications of coffee waste further enhance these properties, making it a viable material for sustainable applications. The study highlights recent advancements in biopolymer composites using coffee industry byproducts, emphasizing their composition, characteristics, and sustainability benefits. This approach supports circular economy initiatives by converting waste into valuable materials, addressing both waste management and material sustainability. Future research will focus on optimizing processing techniques and exploring new applications for cost‐effective, sustainable production of polymer composites from coffee waste.Highlights Coffee waste offers a low‐cost, eco‐friendly filler for biopolymers. Coffee byproducts enhance polymer's antioxidant, antibacterial traits. Waste utilization aligns with sustainability, reducing environmental impact. Chemical treatments enhance coffee waste's contribution to biopolymers. Future research to focus on cost‐effective, sustainable material production.

Extraction and Characteristics of Melanin from Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Pupal Skin as Biopolymer Raw Material

The generation of organic waste has increased globally in recent years. One way to degrade waste more quickly and carry out the bioconversion process of organic waste is to use insects. This BSF has attracted researchers to cultivate and utilize this biomass to extract biochemicals. However, in this research, pupal skin melanin (PSM) from BSF waste is used to obtain melanin. Melanin is a group of blackish-brown pigments with strong physical, chemical, and antimicrobial properties. These properties can be used as an alternative biopolymer material for various environmental sustainability purposes. The melanin extraction method consists of three main steps, namely demineralization, deproteination, and deacetylation, which will be compared with the results of melanin purification from Sepia officinalis melanin (SOM). Characteristics using FTIR, SEM, and EDS to determine the comparison of the quality of melanin obtained from the extraction of pupal skin with commercial melanin from Sepia officinalis. The research results obtained from FTIR analysis show that there are distinctive peaks that correspond to the structure of melanin, including hydroxyl groups (-OH), amine groups (-NH), carboxyl groups (-COOH), and aromatic groups. For SEM analysis, the morphology of PSM and SOM shows differences in surface condition. The melanin resulting from Sepia officinalis is not homogeneous and contains many lumps or aggregates. Whereas the surface of melanin from pupal skin is more homogeneous or looks smoother, but there are still small aggregates on the surface. Furthermore, from the EDS analysis, the total pure concentration was 99.33% for SOM and 69.78% for PSM.

Unveiling Interactions between Self-Assembling Peptides and Neuronal Membranes.

The use of self-assembling peptide hydrogels in the treatment of spinal cord and brain injuries, especially when combined with adult neural stem cells, has shown great potential. To advance tissue engineering, it is essential to understand the effect of mechanochemical signaling on cellular differentiation. The elucidation of the molecular interactions at the level of the neuronal membrane still represents a promising area of investigation for many drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. An innovative molecular dynamics framework has been introduced to investigate the effect of SAP fibrils with different charges on neural membrane lipid domain dynamics. Such advance enables the in silico exploration of the biomimetic properties of SAP hydrogels and other polymeric biomaterials for tissue engineering applications.

Analysis of Students' Initial Ability in Biopolymer Material

Analysis of Students' Initial Ability in Biopolymer Material

Tailoring Biopolymers for Electronic Skins: Materials Design and Applications.

The past few years have witnessed the rapid exploration of natural and synthetic materials to construct electronic skins (e-skins) to emulate the multisensory functions of human skins driven by promising applications. Among various materials employed in functional e-skins, biopolymers are particularly notable for their exceptional biocompatibility and abundant resources. Despite remarkable progress in engineering biopolymeric materials, a timely and holistic review focusing on the design, synthesis, and modification of biopolymers tailored for biopolymers-derived e-skins (Bp-E-Skins) is lacking. In this review, the key attributes of biopolymers are introducedto establish a fundamental understanding fordeveloping functional Bp-E-Skins. Next, the recent progress in harnessing various natural and synthetic biopolymers as building blocks for constructing Bp-E-Skins is systematically discussed, providing insights into maximizing the distinctive attributes of biopolymers. Subsequently, the benefits of nature-inspired Bp-E-Skins achieved through heterogeneous composite and structural engineering are highlighted, infusing fresh momentum into the advancement of e-skins. Then, the promising applications of Bp-E-Skins in multisensory functions are summarized, including both local monitoring and remote teleoperation, as well as sustainable energy harvesting that empowers e-skins. Finally, the remaining fundamental and technical challenges in advancing Bp-E-Skins are presented to provoke future designs that emulate and even go beyond human skins.

Harnessing Nature‐Derived Sustainable Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage: Unveiling the Mechanism and Applications

AbstractRecently, research all over the world is being carried out to develop eco‐friendly supercapacitors (SCs) using biopolymeric materials like proteins or polysaccharides. These polymers offer these innovative energy storage devices' sustainability and recyclability, flexibility, lightweight, and steady cycling performance—all crucial for utilizations involving wearable electronics and others. Given its abundance and extensive recycling behavior, cellulose is one of the most sustainable natural polymers requiring special attention. The paper discusses the various types of cellulose‐based materials (CBMs), including nanocellulose, cellulose derivatives, and composites, as well as their synthesis methods and electrochemical properties. The review also highlights the performance of CBMs in SC applications, including their capacitance, cycling stability, and rate capability, along with recent advances in modifying the materials, such as surface modification and hybrid materials. Finally, the proposed topic is concluded with the current challenges and future prospects of CBMs for SC applications.

Comparative Study of Water and Milk Kefir Grains as Biopolymeric Adsorbents for Copper(II) and Arsenic(V) Removal from Aqueous Solutions.

This study investigates the biosorption capabilities of kefir grains, a polysaccharide-based byproduct of the fermentation process, for removing copper(II) and arsenic(V) from contaminated water. Unlike traditional heavy-metal removal methods, which are typically expensive and involve environmentally harmful chemicals, biopolymeric materials such as kefir grains provide a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for adsorbing hazardous inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions. Our experimental results revealed significant differences in the sorption capacities of two types of kefir grains. Grains of milk kefir outperformed water kefir, particularly in copper(II) removal, achieving up to 95% efficiency at low copper concentrations (0.16 mmol·L-1) and demonstrating a maximum sorption capacity of 49 µmol·g-1. In contrast, water kefir grains achieved only 35.5% maximum removal efficiency and exhibited lower sorption capacity. For arsenic(V) removal, milk kefir grains also showed superior performance, removing up to 56% of arsenic in diluted solution with experimental sorption capacities reaching up to 20 µmol·g-1, whereas water kefir grains achieved a maximum removal efficiency of 34.5%. However, these findings also suggest that while kefir grains show potential as low-cost biosorbents, further modifications are needed to enhance their competitiveness for large-scale water treatment applications.

High Absorption and Elasticity of a Novel Transgenic Silk with Egg Case Silk Protein from Nephila clavata.

Spider silk is part of a special class of natural protein fibers that have high strength and toughness: these materials have excellent comprehensive properties that are not found in other natural fibers (including silk) or most synthetic fibers. Spider egg case filaments have good hardness, can resist water, can protect spider eggs from external threats, have a significantly high initial modulus and high moisture absorption rate, and are expected to be used as a new generation of environmentally friendly natural polymer fibers and biomaterials. However, spiders are predatory and difficult to rear in large numbers, and it is also difficult to obtain spider egg case filaments in large quantities. Silkworms and spiders have a similar spinning system, and the use of transgenic technology in silkworms can obtain stable and high-yield exogenous gene proteins for a long time, representing an ideal bioreactor for the production of spider silk. In this study, the eukaryotic bioreactor and piggyBac transposon system were employed to recombinantly introduce the egg case silk protein of Nephila clavata (Nc-CYSP1) into the silkworm in the silkworm heavy-chain expression system. The results revealed that the silk glands produced a new type of transgenic silk with a significantly high initial modulus and high moisture absorption. In summary, this study provides an experimental reference for future research on the large-scale production and application of spider egg case filamentous protein, with great application prospects in the development of new environmentally friendly materials.

Biocompatibility and drug release kinetics of TiNbZrSn femtosecond laser-induced superhydrophilic structures

As load-bearing components, metallic implants are frequently used for orthopedic prostheses due to their superiority over conventional ceramic and polymeric biomaterials. Metal-based orthopedic implants have been subjected to various fabrication and treatment methods to enhance their biological activities at the host site. Modifying the structure, improving the hydrophilicity, and developing controlled-release drug delivery systems can improve cellular adhesion, proliferation, osseointegration, and differentiation. Ultrafast lasers have recently attracted interest in surface engineering. Laser surface structuring permits the alteration of sample topography, the chemical makeup of the surface, and the material physical properties. This study presents the surface modification of a TiNbZrSn shape memory alloy using a femtosecond laser to produce laser-induced periodic structures with better drug release than that of a pristine sample. We also present the in vitro cell viability and biocompatibility of the alloy system. All samples structured with femtosecond laser exhibited superhydrophilic nature with 0° contact angle. In addition, the laser structured surfaces showed cell viability above 80 % and minimal cytotoxicity towards human keratinocytes. Moreover, a well-defined hydroxyapatite layer developed on the laser structured surface. In general, the laser structuring process and the induced changes on the surface in terms of roughness and oxide formation result in slower drug release (up to 10 %) compared to pristine specimens.

Probing the Surface Properties of Nanoporous Biopolymer Materials from Ionic-Based Natural Fiber Welding

Natural fiber welding (NFW) has been widely used for the controlled partial dissolution of biopolymer textiles in ionic liquids (ILs) to regenerate surface morphologies with enhanced physical properties. Our group recently demonstrated that the solvation of cellulose by the welding IL results in the generation of a latent nanoporous biopolymer domain via an open-close cycling mechanism (i.e., the porous structure can be expressed or collapsed through solvent treatment). Surface thermodynamics profoundly impact the molecular interactions that provide important metrics for interfacial behaviors, such as adhesion, cohesion, and wettability. Thus, surface energy controls the nature of chemical interactions at the surface of a material, determining hydrophobicity, reactivity, and polarity. In this study, surface energy and Lewis acid-base parameters are measured by inverse gas chromatography (iGC), and the resulting data is used to establish trends in hydrogen bond donating/accepting ability as well as hydrophilicity based on solvent exchange from a polar rinse solvent (i.e., water) to a nonpolar solvent (i.e., cyclohexane). The surface thermodynamics information obtained from iGC will complement BET analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to provide a better understanding of the role of solvent properties on the morphologies of regenerated biopolymer nanoporous xerogels. We will discuss the impact of solvent identity on surface area, pore distribution, and surface energy to elucidate the interplay between porous morphologies and surface characteristics.