Summary

Biomaterials work in contact with living matter and this gives a number of specific requirements for their surface properties, such as bioinertness or bioactivity, anti-biofouling, and so on. Surface engineering based on physical, chemical, physical-chemical, biochemical or biological principles is important for the preparation of biomaterials with the desired biocontact properties. This book helps the reader gain the knowledge to enable them to work in such a rapidly developing area, with a comprehensive list of references given for each chapter. Strategies for tailoring the biological response through the creation of biomaterial surfaces resistant to fouling are discussed. Methods of eliciting specific biomolecular interactions that can be further combined with patterning techniques to engineer adhesive areas in a non-interactive background are also covered. The theoretical basis of surface engineering for improvement of biocontact properties of polymeric biomaterials as well as the current state-of-the-art of the surface engineering of polymeric biomaterials are presented. The book also includes information on the most used conventional and advanced surface engineering methods. The book is targeted at researchers, post-doctorates, graduate students, and those already working in the field of biomaterials with a special interest in the creation of polymeric materials with improved biocontact properties via surface engineering.