| Summary: | The ongoing process of bio-evolution has produced materials which are perfectly adapted to fulfil a specific functional role. The natural world provides us with a multitude of examples of materials with durability, strength, mechanisms of programmed self-assembly and biodegradability.<br> <br> <p>The materials industry has sought to observe and appreciate the relationship between structure, properties and function of these biological materials. A multidisciplinary approach, building on recent advances at the forefront of physics, chemistry and molecular biology, has been successful in producing many synthetic structures with interesting and useful properties.<br> <br></p> <p> Structural Biological Materials: Design and Structure-Property Relationships represents an invaluable reference in the field of biological materials science and provides an incisive view into this rapidly developing and increasingly important topic within materials science.<br> <br></p> <p>This book focuses on the study of three sub-groups of structural biological materials:<br> <br></p> <p>* Hard tissue engineering, focussing on cortical bone<br> * Soft tissue engineering<br> * Fibrous materials, particularly engineering with silk fibers.<br> <br></p> <p>The fundamental relationship between structure and properties, and certain aspects of design and engineering, are explored in each of the sub-groups. The importance of these materials, both in their intrinsic properties and specific functions, are illustrated with relevant examples. These depict the successful integration of material properties, architecture and shape, providing a wide range of optimised designs, tailored to specific functions.<br> <br></p> <p>Edited by Manuel Elices of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain, this book is Volume 4 in the Pergamon Material Series.<br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br></p>
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