ABSTRACT
Biomaterials are dened as a material or a combination of materials, synthetic or natural in origin, which can be used to repair, replace or model tissues and organs in vitro and in vivo (Clare 2001; Helmus and Tweden 1995; Shi 2003). With advances in the elds of chemistry, biology, and physics, an entirely new, collaborative area of research has identied new biomaterials with improved biological performance (Binyamin et al. 2006). The biomaterials can be classied according to their performance and criteria, such as polymers, metals, ceramics, and composites. Polymers have now contributed to improved quality of life for millions of people worldwide (Binyamin et al. 2006; Dobrzanski 2006; Langer and Tirrell 2004). They represent the most signicant class of biomaterials in medical application, as they can be inert, chemically diverse, processed with ease, and some polymers are resorbable. Polymers can encompass a wide range of physical and chemical properties; they can be used directly, combined with other materials or coated onto surfaces, and they are readily functionalized and can be degraded by the body after a desired period. Additionally, polymers come in many different forms including solids, bers, lms, and gels which provide not only support but also the correct structural architecture essential for tissue regeneration (Nair and Laurencin 2007). As a result, biopolymers are currently the materials of choice for thousands of medical applications.
