Functional Polymeric Materials for Healthcare

Functional Polymeric Materials for Healthcare provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the development, characterization, properties, and applications of functional polymeric materials in healthcare and biomedical engineering. The book begins with the fundamentals, classification, and physicochemical properties of functional polymers, progressing to conventional and advanced manufacturing and characterization techniques. Particular emphasis is placed on the design and selection of polymeric materials for biomedical applications, with detailed coverage of biocompatibility screening, toxicological evaluation, and safety assessment for materials intended for contact with the human body. The book also addresses the growing importance of sustainable healthcare materials, highlighting biodegradable and environmentally friendly polymers and the contribution of nanomaterials science to the development of greener solutions. The role of nanofillers in improving the mechanical, functional, and structural performance of polymeric composites is explored alongside emerging processing and manufacturing approaches. Applications across tissue engineering, pharmaceuticals, dentistry, implants, artificial organs, and nanomedicine are discussed, providing readers with insights into both established technologies and emerging research directions. A distinctive feature of the book is its focus on the manufacturing of healthcare products, including advanced approaches such as additive manufacturing for artificial organs and biomedical devices. By integrating materials science, nanotechnology, biocompatibility, toxicology, manufacturing, and biomedical applications, this book serves as a valuable reference for researchers, academics, postgraduate students, biomedical engineers, materials scientists, polymer scientists, healthcare professionals, and industry practitioners working toward next-generation functional and sustainable healthcare materials.