Polymer Science and Composite Materials

Biotechnology has been applied as a valuable tool to produce useful bio-based products from non-petrochemical renewable resources. Biologically-produced polymers present advantages related with the biodegradability, performance, cheapness of substrate and defined structural variability. Beyond that, enzymes, the most proficient catalysts, continue to offer the most competitive processes compared with the chemical ones. Advances in protein engineering technology and the environmental and economic requirements contribute for the continuous search of acceptable biotechnological solutions for these areas, including, polymer and textile, medical, pharmaceutical, among others.