This book is an archival reference for the evolving field of
biomaterials and their applications in society, focusing on their
composition, properties, characterization, chemistry and
applications in bioenergy, chemicals, and novel materials and
biomaterials. It has broad appeal due to the recent
heightened awareness around bioenergy and biomass as potential
replacements for petroleum feedstocks. The book is
divided into three parts: cellulose-based biomaterials, chitin and
chitosan biomaterials, and hemicelluloses and other
polysaccharides. Each chapter addresses a separate
biomaterial, discussing its chemical, physical, and biological
attributes, and hones in on each compound's intrinsic
tunability for numerous chemical
transformations. In the current quest for a "green"
economy and resources, this book will help inspire scientists
towards novel sources for chemicals, materials,
and energy in the years to come.

YOUSSEF HABIBI, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of
Forest Bio-materials at North Carolina State University. His
research investigates biocomposites and biomaterials engineering;
cellulose nanocrystals self-assembly; natural fibers; reinforced
polymer composites and nanocomposites; the isolation, analysis,
treatment, and chemical modification and utilization of biomass
components; and surface modification of natural fibers and their
nanocrystals.

LUCIAN A. LUCIA, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department
of Forest Biomaterials at North Carolina State University. His
recent work focuses on the chemistry of wood pulping processes,
with an emphasis on hydrosulfide chemistry. Dr. Lucia cofounded and
coedits BioResources, dedicated to advanced applications of
lignocellulosics.

Foreword vii

Preface ix

Contributors xi

1 Recent Advances in Cellulose Chemistry 1

Thomas Heinze and Katrin Petzold-Welcke

2 Cellulosic Aerogels 51

Falk Liebner, Emmerich Haimer, Antje Potthast, and Thomas
Rosenau

3 Nanocelluloses: Emerging Building Blocks for Renewable
Materials 105

Youssef Habibi and Lucian A. Lucia

4 Interactions of Chitosan with Metals for Water Purification
127

Mohammed Rhazi, Abdelouhad Tolaimate, and Youssef Habibi

5 Recent Developments in Chitin and Chitosan Bio-Based Materials
Used for Food Preservation 143

Véronique Coma

6 Chitin and Chitosan as Biomaterial Building Blocks 177

JoséF. Louvier-Hernández and Ram B. Gupta

7 Chitosan Derivatives for Bioadhesive/Hemostatic Applications:
Chemical and Biological Aspects 199

Mai Yamazaki and Samuel M. Hudson

8 Chitin Nanofibers as Building Blocks for Advanced Materials
227

Youssef Habibi and Lucian A. Lucia

9 Electrical Conductivity and Polysaccharides 247

Axel Rußler and Thomas Rosenau

10 Polysaccharide-Based Porous Materials 271

Peter S. Shuttleworth, Avtar Matharu, and James H. Clark

11 Starch-Based Bionanocomposites: Processing and Properties
287

Visakh P. M., Aji P. Mathew, Kristiina Oksman, and Sabu
Thomas

12 Starch-Based Sustainable Materials 307

Luc Avérous

13 The Potential of Xylans as Biomaterial Resources 331

Anna Ebringerova

14 Micro- and Nanoparticles from Hemicelluloses 367

Emmerich Haimer, Falk Liebner, Antje Potthast, and Thomas
Rosenau

15 Nonxylan Hemicelluloses as a Source of Renewable Materials
387

David Plackett and Natanya Hansen

Index 409