ABSTRACT
Bioengineering refers to the application of concepts and methods of the physical sciences and mathematics in an engineering approach toward solving problems in repair and reconstruction of lost, damaged, or deceased tissues. Any material that is used for this purpose can be regarded as a biomaterial. According to Williams [1], a biomaterial is a material used in implants or medical devices, intended to interact with biological systems. Those common types of medical devices include the substitute heart valves and artificial hearts, artificial hip and knee joints, dental implants, internal and external fracture fixators, and skin repair templates. One of the major features of composite materials is that they can be tailor made to meet different applications’ requirements. The most common types of conventional composites are usually composed of epoxy, unsaturated polyester resin, polyurethanes, or phenolic reinforced by glass, carbon, or aramid fibers. These composite
CONTENTS
6.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 139 6.2 Silkworm Silk Fiber ................................................................................... 141
6.2.1 Mechanical Properties .................................................................. 142 6.2.2 Applications .................................................................................... 143
6.2.2.1 Wound Sutures ................................................................ 143 6.2.2.2 Scaffold Tissue Engineering .......................................... 144
6.2.3 Silk-Based Biocomposites ............................................................. 145 6.3 Chicken Feather Fiber (CFF) ..................................................................... 148
6.3.1 Chicken Feather ............................................................................. 148 6.3.2 CFF/Polylactic Acid (PLA) Biocomposites ................................. 151
6.4 Summary ..................................................................................................... 153 References ............................................................................................................. 154
structures lead to the problem of conventional removal after the end-of-life time, as the components are closely interconnected, relatively stable, and thus difficult to separate and recycle.
