HYBRID BIO-BASED MATERIALS AS FUNCTIONAL PLATFORMS FOR NEXT-GENERATION SCAFFOLDS

HYBRID BIO-BASED MATERIALS AS FUNCTIONAL PLATFORMS FOR NEXT-GENERATION SCAFFOLDS

Abstrakt

Rapid developments in biomaterials show that biopolymer-based materials can serve as versatile building blocks for creating functional scaffolds with tailored mechanical, chemical and biological properties. Materials such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), bacterial cellulose (BC) and ligninderived systems offer renewability, biocompatibility and structural adaptability. They can therefore be used in many different material and engineering applications. This lecture presents an integrated view of how natural polymer architectures can be modified or combined to enhance their performance. A central idea is that bio-origin polymers can be transformed into multifunctional materials through controlled structural modification. One example is a PHA material coated with polypyrrole that retains its original viscoelastic properties while gaining bioactive features and electrical conductivity. Bacterial cellulose represents another promising avenue for the development of functional biomaterials. Its clean nanofibrous network provides high purity, strong water interaction and a hierarchical structure. These features enable BC to form uniform, robust composites with conducting polymers, yielding free-standing materials with large surface areas and adjustable interfacial properties. Additionally, natural polyphenols introduce unique benefits. When incorporated into films, hydrogels or thin coatings, these components provide intrinsic antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Collectively, these strategies highlight how hybrid bio-based materials can integrate structure, functionality and sustainability to support the development of next-generation material solutions. Acknowledgment This study was funded by the project GA 25–15806S of the Czech Science Foundation (GACR).

Rapid developments in biomaterials show that biopolymer-based materials can serve as versatile building blocks for creating functional scaffolds with tailored mechanical, chemical and biological properties. Materials such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), bacterial cellulose (BC) and ligninderived systems offer renewability, biocompatibility and structural adaptability. They can therefore be used in many different material and engineering applications. This lecture presents an integrated view of how natural polymer architectures can be modified or combined to enhance their performance. A central idea is that bio-origin polymers can be transformed into multifunctional materials through controlled structural modification. One example is a PHA material coated with polypyrrole that retains its original viscoelastic properties while gaining bioactive features and electrical conductivity. Bacterial cellulose represents another promising avenue for the development of functional biomaterials. Its clean nanofibrous network provides high purity, strong water interaction and a hierarchical structure. These features enable BC to form uniform, robust composites with conducting polymers, yielding free-standing materials with large surface areas and adjustable interfacial properties. Additionally, natural polyphenols introduce unique benefits. When incorporated into films, hydrogels or thin coatings, these components provide intrinsic antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Collectively, these strategies highlight how hybrid bio-based materials can integrate structure, functionality and sustainability to support the development of next-generation material solutions. Acknowledgment This study was funded by the project GA 25–15806S of the Czech Science Foundation (GACR).

Polyhydroxyalkanoates; Scaffolds; Properties

Polyhydroxyalkanoates; Scaffolds; Properties

KOVALČÍK, A.

13.04.2026

Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences

Bratislava

978-80-89841-23-3

BIMAC 2026 - XXIV. Bratislava International Conference on Macromolecules, Book of Abstracts

12

12

76

https://bimac.sav.sk/