ABSTRACT
Forestry and agriculture are among the largest industries in the United States and Canada. Natural by-products of these industries are biomass residues in the form of wood chips, sawdust, straw, cotton, cotton gin trash, and the like. The use of biologically derived polymers (biopolymers) is emerging as an important component for economic development. By transforming forest and agricultural feedstocks, a new class of renewable, biodegradable, and biocompatible materials (biomaterials) is being introduced. Emerging applications for biopolymers range from packaging to industrial chemicals, medical implant devices, and drug delivery systems. In addition to producing green materials with unique physical and functional properties, the processes used to create biobased materials lead to new manufacturing opportunities that minimize energy consumption and waste generation. As the list of environmental problems grows, the advantages of using renewable biopolymers to meet the materials requirements of an expanding economy has to receive increasing attention.
