Polymer Gels: Synthesis and Characterization (Gels Horizons: From Science to Smart Materials)

This book addresses a range of synthesis and characterization techniques that are critical for tailoring and broadening the various aspects of polymer gels, as well as the numerous advantages that polymer gel-based materials offer. It presents a comprehensive collection of chapters on the recent advances and developments in the science and fundamentals of both synthetic and natural polymer-based gels. Topics covered include: synthesis and structure of physically/chemically cross-linked polymer-gels/polymeric nanogels; gel formation through non-covalent cross-linking; molecular design and characterization; polysaccharide-based polymer gels: synthesis, characterization, and properties; modified polysaccharide gels: silica-based polymeric gels as platforms for the delivery of pharmaceuticals; gel-based approaches in genomic and proteomic sciences; emulgels in drug delivery; and organogels. The book provides a cutting-edge resource for researchers and scientists working in various fields involving polymers, biomaterials, bio-nanotechnology and functional materials.

Dr. Vijay Kumar Thakur is currently a Permanent Faculty in the School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing , Cranfield University, UK. Some of his other prior significant appointments include being a Research Scientist in Temasek Laboratories at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (2009-2012) and a Visiting Research Fellow in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at LHU–Taiwan. He spent his postdoctoral study in Materials Science & Engineering at Iowa State University, USA and received Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry (2009). In the course of his academic career, he has published more than 100 SCI journal research articles in the field of chemical sciences/materials science and holds one US patent. Among these, ten of his research papers have been highlighted as “Highly Cited Papers” in Web of Science (less than 1% of published papers receive this ranking), while three others have been highlighted as “Hot Papers” (Hot papers are selected by virtue of being cited among the top one-tenth of one percent-0.1%) in a current bimonthly period in Web of Science). He has also published 33 books and 35 book chapters on the advanced state-of-the-art of polymer science/materials science/nanotechnology with numerous publishers. His research interests include the synthesis and processing of bio-based polymers, composites, nanostructured materials, hydrogels, polymer micro/nanocomposites, nanoelectronic materials, novel high dielectric constant materials, engineering nanomaterials, electrochromic materials, green synthesis of nanomaterials, and surface functionalization of polymers/nanomaterials. He sits on the editorial board of several SCI journals as well as Scientific Bodies around the globe.

Dr. Manju Kumari Thakur has been an assistant professor of Chemistry at the Division of Chemistry, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, India since June 2010. She received her B.Sc. in Chemistry, Botany and Zoology; M.Sc., M. Phil in Organic Chemistry and Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry from the Chemistry Department at Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, India. She has extensive experience in the field of organic chemistry, biopolymers, composites/nanocomposites, hydrogels, and applications of hydrogels in the removal of toxic heavy metal ions, drug delivery. She has published more than 30 research papers in several international journals, has co-authored three books, and has also published 25 book chapters in the field of polymeric materials.