Smart Biomaterials

This book provides comprehensive coverage of smart biomaterials and their potential applications, a field that is developing at a very rapid pace. Because smart biomaterials are an emerging class of biomaterials that respond to small changes in external stimuli with large discontinuous changes in their physical properties, they have been designed to act as an "on-off" switch for, among others, bioseparation, immunoanalysis, drug delivery technologies, gene therapy, diagnostics, biosensors, and artificial muscles. After an introduction to the topic and the history of smart biomaterials, the author gives the reader an in-depth look at the properties, mechanics, and characterization of smart biomaterials including hydrogels, particles, assemblies, surfaces, fibers, and conjugates. Information on the wide range of applications for these materials follows, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, diagnostics, biosensors, bioseparation, and actuators. In addition, recent advances in shape memory biomaterials as active components of medical devices are also presented.