ABSTRACT
Carbohydrate gums sourced from trees are important food additives as well as cradles for potential non-food commercial products. The current chapter exemplified their prospective commercial producers such as sponges, fibers, and films that were prepared via various fabrication techniques. Recent exploration of tree gums polymeric nano or microstructures based on a variety of techniques such as electrospinning, solution casting, self-assembly-lyophilization, 3D printing, etc. is exemplified with suitable examples. The improvement of physicochemical, mechanical, and barrier properties of the incorporation of the gum-based material with other inorganic, organic, or nanoparticles as additives have been discussed. The sustainable gum-based products and their morphological, structural, and mechanical attributes were embodied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction techniques (XRD), and UV-vis spectroscopy, etc. The ensued gum-based polymeric products for environmental remediation, water purification, food packaging materials, carrier bags, lithium-ion batteries, energy harvesters, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine have been elaborately discussed with current and upcoming potentials for the development of low-cost green products for a green and sustainable future. Finally, the recyclability, regeneration, and biodegradability of the developed tree gum polymeric composites have also been demonstrated.
