Biomaterials and Biopolymers for the Development of Biosensors

Abstract

Currently, the great diversity of biomaterials and their wide application field have expanded the definition of these materials. A biomaterial is a substance designed for the course of any diagnostic or therapeutic procedure used in veterinary or human medicine, a definition that we will take into account throughout this chapter. This new science field is continually researched and expanded, year after year, increasing the potential of biomaterials. These materials are classified according to biocompatibility and interaction with the tissues (natural, ceramic, and composite materials), mechanical load bearing (metals), or flexibility required (biopolymers). Biomaterials are incorporated as biosensing platforms generating devices with high sensitivity and specificity, rapid detection, besides being portable, economical, and easy to use. Among biomaterials, biopolymer-based materials have been positioned as excellent options for biosensor development, due to their unique advantages, such as environment-friendly manufacturing methods, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. This chapter introduces different biomaterials used for biosensor development, to finally describe a type of biomaterial, such as biopolymers and their applications.