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Composite and Functionalized Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications

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A special issue of Journal of Functional Biomaterials (ISSN 2079-4983).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (11 November 2021) | Viewed by 11099

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Stefan Ioan Voicu

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Gheorghe Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: polymeric membranes; polymeric materials; carbon nanotubes; graphene; characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in biomedical engineering, which has to respond to an increasing number of challenges, in particular, related to changes in lifestyle and environmental factors. If two or three decades ago, this domain was limited to a small number of applications, there are now a number of niche domains such as tissue engineering, polymeric materials for osteointegration, artificial organs, and devices for the controlled release of drugs, and the new materials that are developed must respond to all the challenges that have arisen. All these new applications imply the development of new biomaterials, a large class of materials where the polymeric materials occupy a special place. The present Special Issue is dedicated to composite or functionalized polymeric-based biomaterials that are applicable in tissue engineering, osteointegration, controlled drug delivery, artificial organs, etc. The domains addressed by this issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

Polymer-based composite biomaterials;
Polymer-based functionalized biomaterials;
Strategies for improving biocompatibility of polymer-based biomaterials;
Modern characterization techniques for polymer-based biomaterials (composite or functionalized);
Applications of polymer-based biomaterials (composite or functionalized).

Prof. Dr. Stefan Ioan Voicu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Functional Biomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

composite polymeric biomaterials
functionalized polymeric biomaterials
tissue engineering
controlled drug delivery
osseointegration

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3624 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rheological Properties, Surface Microhardness, and Dentin Shear Bond Strength of Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Cements Containing Methacrylate-Functionalized Polyacids and Spherical Pre-Reacted Glass Fillers

by Whithipa Thepveera, Wisitsin Potiprapanpong, Arnit Toneluck, Somruethai Channasanon, Chutikarn Khamsuk, Naruporn Monmaturapoj, Siriporn Tanodekaew and Piyaphong Panpisut

J. Funct. Biomater. 2021, 12(3), 42; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jfb12030042 - 14 Jul 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2930

Abstract

The aim of this study was to prepare experimental resin-modified glass ionomer cements (RMGICs) containing low levels of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) for pulp protection. Liquid and powder phases of the experimental RMGICs were polyacid functionalized with methacrylate groups and spherical pre-reacted glass fillers (SPG). Two types of liquid phase containing 0 wt. % HEMA (CM liquid) or 5 wt. % HEMA (CMH liquid) were formulated. The experimental RMGICs were prepared by mixing SPG fillers with CM liquid (F1) or CMH liquid (F2). Rheological properties were examined using a strain-controlled rheometer (n = 5). The Vickers microhardness (n = 5) and dentin shear bond strength (SBS) (n = 10) of the materials were tested. Commercial pulp protection materials (Vitrebond and TheraCal LC) were used as comparisons. The viscosity and surface microhardness of F1 (22 m Pa·s, 18 VHN) and F2 (18 m Pa·s, 16 VHN) were significantly higher than those of Vitrebond (6 mPa·s, 6 VHN) and TheraCal (0.1 mPa·s, 7 VHN). The SBS of F1 (10.7 MPa) and F2 (11.9 MPa) was comparable to that of Vitrebond (15.4 MPa) but higher than that of TheraCal LC (5.6 MPa). The addition of 5 wt. % HEMA showed no significant effect on viscosity, surface microhardness, or SBS of the experimental RMGICs. The experimental materials showed higher viscosity and microhardness but similar SBS when compared with the commercial RMGIC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite and Functionalized Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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17 pages, 4491 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Enhanced Stability of Long-Living Immobilized Recombinant β-d-N-Acetyl-Hexosaminidase A on Polylactic Acid (PLA) Films for Potential Biomedical Applications

by Eleonora Calzoni, Alessio Cesaretti, Nicolò Montegiove, Alessandro Di Michele and Carla Emiliani

J. Funct. Biomater. 2021, 12(2), 32; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jfb12020032 - 11 May 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2525

Abstract

β-d-N-acetyl-hexosaminidase (Hex, EC 3.2.1.52) is an acid hydrolase that catalyzes the cleavage of the β-1,4 bond in N-acetyl-d-galactosamine (Gal-NAc) and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (Glc-NAc) from the non-reducing end of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates. It is widely expressed in both the prokaryotic and eukaryotic world, where it performs multiple and important functions. Hex has antifungal activity in plants, is capable of degrading many biological substrates, and can play an important role in the biomedical field for the treatment of Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases. With the aim being able to obtain a device with a stable enzyme, a method of covalent immobilization on polylactic acid (PLA) films was developed for the A isoform of the β-d-N-acetyl-hexosaminidase enzyme (HexA), produced in a recombinant way from Human Embryonic Kidney-293 (HEK-293) cells and suitably purified. An in-depth biochemical characterization of the immobilized enzyme was carried out, evaluating the optimal temperature, thermal stability, pH parameters, and Km value. Moreover, the stability of the enzymatic activity over time was assessed. The results obtained showed an improvement in terms of kinetic parameters and stability to heat for the enzyme following immobilization and the presence of HexA in two distinct immobilized forms, with an unexpected ability for one of them to maintain its functionality for a long period of time (over a year). The stability and functionality of the enzyme in its immobilized form are therefore extremely promising for potential biotechnological and biomedical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite and Functionalized Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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Review

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25 pages, 5035 KiB

Open AccessReview

Polyamide/Poly(Amino Acid) Polymers for Drug Delivery

by Sai H. S. Boddu, Prakash Bhagav, Pradeep K. Karla, Shery Jacob, Mansi D. Adatiya, Tejas M. Dhameliya, Ketan M. Ranch and Amit K. Tiwari

J. Funct. Biomater. 2021, 12(4), 58; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jfb12040058 - 08 Oct 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4821

Abstract

Polymers have always played a critical role in the development of novel drug delivery systems by providing the sustained, controlled and targeted release of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs. Among the different polymers, polyamides or poly(amino acid)s exhibit distinct features such as good biocompatibility, slow degradability and flexible physicochemical modification. The degradation rates of poly(amino acid)s are influenced by the hydrophilicity of the amino acids that make up the polymer. Poly(amino acid)s are extensively used in the formulation of chemotherapeutics to achieve selective delivery for an appropriate duration of time in order to lessen the drug-related side effects and increase the anti-tumor efficacy. This review highlights various poly(amino acid) polymers used in drug delivery along with new developments in their utility. A thorough discussion on anticancer agents incorporated into poly(amino acid) micellar systems that are under clinical evaluation is included. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite and Functionalized Polymeric Materials for Biomedical Applications)

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