Bioplastics

Biomaterials & Biopolymers

A biomaterial is defined as a substance that has been engineered to take a form which, alone or as part of a complex system, is used to direct, by control of interactions with components of living systems, the course of any therapeutic or diagnostic procedure. Biopolymers are polymers produced by living organisms; in other words, they are polymeric biomolecules. Since they are polymers, biopolymers contain monomeric units that are covalently bonded to form larger structures. As a science, biomaterials are about fifty years old. The study of biomaterials is called biomaterials science. It has experienced steady and strong growth over its history, with many companies investing large amounts of money into the development of new products. Biomaterials science encompasses elements of medicine, biology, chemistry, tissue engineering and materials science. The global market for biomaterials is estimated at $44.0 billion in 2012 and is poised to grow at a CAGR of 15% from 2012 to 2017 to reach $88.4 billion by 2017.