**3. Polymer properties**

There are some important physical and chemical properties needed to be considered before selecting polymers for synthesis followed by the design and development of nanoparticles such as (1) structural integrity, (2) low immunogenic nature, (3) biocompatibility (for biomedical applications), (4) biologically active nature, and (5) structural versatility (which can easily allow topographic changes internally as well externally). Polymers with physicochemical properties such as hydrophilic (solvent loving), hydrophobic (solvent repelling), and amphiphilic (affinity to absorb and repel the solvent) nature, surface energy, viscosity, lubricity, density, surface tension, pH sensitivity, smoothness, swelling nature, solubility, amorphous and crystalline nature, polymer dissolution, bioadhesive and sticky nature, polymer-solvent interaction, polymer erosion, flexibility, chain formatting nature, chemical composition, microstructural design, and other surface properties need to be examined carefully for the design of nanoparticles and capsules. By considering these properties, nanoparticle preparation methods can also be modified for the polymerization reactions (**Figure 3**). For example, (1) natural polymers like (a) chitin, (b) cellulose, and (c) starch can be widely used for nanoparticle development through the modified chemical synthesis methods [29, 30]. Further, (2) semisynthetic polymers like (a) cellulose nitrate, (b) rubber, (c) rayon and (d) silk and fiber-based materials, and (e) guncotton are synthesized based on their flexibility and other stresses and strain rate for various applications, and these are very much suitable to design the ribbon type of fibrils for textile industry-based usages. However, (3) synthetic polymers such as (a) polymethyl methacrylate amide (PMMA); (b) nylon, nylon-6, and nylon-6,6; and (c) polystyrene (PS) are very much useful for plastic industries to manufacture polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based pipes, tubes, cables, and other plasticwares. The polymer tetrafluoroethylene (Teflon or PTFE) with monomer chemical formula (–C2F4–) is under wide range utilization in the name of Teflon tape as a sealant for pipe linkages and insulation tape. The natural rubbers isoprene and neoprene can be used to develop various products industrially [31, 32].

The natural rubber, vulcanized rubber, or sulfur has been used in tire industries. Similarly, formaldehyde and benzophenol combination is used to develop combs and other plasticwares, and its trade name is Bakelite. The polymer polyethylene (PE) is used for polyethylene covers/carriage bags and much more houseware and industrial manufacturing. The polymer PE is again categorized into two types based on its density for the manufacturing of plastic materials such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) based on applications [33]. The following properties of polymers are essential to develop potential nanoparticles for drug delivery systems (DDSs), gene delivery systems (GDSs), cell delivery systems (CDSs), tissue engineering (TE), and other nanobiotechnology applications such as molecular weight, self-assembly nature, density, network

**145**

**Figure 3.**

*development of nanoparticles.*

biocompatibility for human beings [36].

**4. Classification of nanoparticles**

*Polymer Properties: Functionalization and Surface Modified Nanoparticles*

forming capacity, and interlocking nature of functional groups followed by the selfassembly. Based on applications (biomedical or industrial), polymeric nanoparticles should possess the following characteristics such as biocompatibility and biodegradability with good cell survival rate, and they should obey the properties as mentioned in earlier sections [34]. However, every nanoparticle system has their limitations for their use in medical biotechnology and nanotechnology applications. By changing reaction methods, solvent concentration, temperature conditions, pH levels, its surface profile and another size, shape, and morphology can be modified [35]. Design and development of surfactant-free nanoparticles without using any harmful solvents and catalyst is a novel approach for green synthesis and technology. The term green synthesis, green technology, green nanoparticles, and green reactions define the methods and approaches followed by engineer nanoparticles and materials without any side effects, toxicity, and harm to mankind applications. The nanoparticles and capsules developed based on amino acid-based block copolymers, and plant extracts are termed as green nanoparticles as they show good

*Schematic shows the characteristic properties of polymers needed to be considered for the design and* 

Based on core synthesis materials, nanoparticles are categorized into various types such as (a) protein nanoparticles (PrNPs), (b) polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs), (c) organic nanoparticles (ONPs), (d) inorganic nanoparticles (INPs),

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.84424*

*Polymer Properties: Functionalization and Surface Modified Nanoparticles DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.84424*

#### **Figure 3.**

*Role of Novel Drug Delivery Vehicles in Nanobiomedicine*

(**Figure 2**) [20, 21, 26–29].

**3. Polymer properties**

products industrially [31, 32].

combination of a large number of high molecular mass polymers give micronsized nanoparticles, and they can be used for bulk phenomenal approaches such as absorption, chemisorption, etc. There is a class of polymers named as block copolymers, and these are again categorized into several such as (a) random block copolymers (BCPs), (b) star block copolymers, (c) grafted block copolymers, and (d) alternating block copolymers, and these are classified based on their synthesis approaches and final structural confirmations, and these are low-density polymers

There are some important physical and chemical properties needed to be considered before selecting polymers for synthesis followed by the design and development of nanoparticles such as (1) structural integrity, (2) low immunogenic nature, (3) biocompatibility (for biomedical applications), (4) biologically active nature, and (5) structural versatility (which can easily allow topographic changes internally as well externally). Polymers with physicochemical properties such as hydrophilic (solvent loving), hydrophobic (solvent repelling), and amphiphilic (affinity to absorb and repel the solvent) nature, surface energy, viscosity, lubricity, density, surface tension, pH sensitivity, smoothness, swelling nature, solubility, amorphous and crystalline nature, polymer dissolution, bioadhesive and sticky nature, polymer-solvent interaction, polymer erosion, flexibility, chain formatting nature, chemical composition, microstructural design, and other surface properties need to be examined carefully for the design of nanoparticles and capsules. By considering these properties, nanoparticle preparation methods can also be modified for the polymerization reactions (**Figure 3**). For example, (1) natural polymers like (a) chitin, (b) cellulose, and (c) starch can be widely used for nanoparticle development through the modified chemical synthesis methods [29, 30]. Further, (2) semisynthetic polymers like (a) cellulose nitrate, (b) rubber, (c) rayon and (d) silk and fiber-based materials, and (e) guncotton are synthesized based on their flexibility and other stresses and strain rate for various applications, and these are very much suitable to design the ribbon type of fibrils for textile industry-based usages. However, (3) synthetic polymers such as (a) polymethyl methacrylate amide (PMMA); (b) nylon, nylon-6, and nylon-6,6; and (c) polystyrene (PS) are very much useful for plastic industries to manufacture polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based pipes, tubes, cables, and other plasticwares. The polymer tetrafluoroethylene (Teflon or PTFE) with monomer chemical formula (–C2F4–) is under wide range utilization in the name of Teflon tape as a sealant for pipe linkages and insulation tape. The natural rubbers isoprene and neoprene can be used to develop various

The natural rubber, vulcanized rubber, or sulfur has been used in tire industries. Similarly, formaldehyde and benzophenol combination is used to develop combs and other plasticwares, and its trade name is Bakelite. The polymer polyethylene (PE) is used for polyethylene covers/carriage bags and much more houseware and industrial manufacturing. The polymer PE is again categorized into two types based on its density for the manufacturing of plastic materials such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) based on applications [33]. The following properties of polymers are essential to develop potential nanoparticles for drug delivery systems (DDSs), gene delivery systems (GDSs), cell delivery systems (CDSs), tissue engineering (TE), and other nanobiotechnology applications such as molecular weight, self-assembly nature, density, network

**144**

*Schematic shows the characteristic properties of polymers needed to be considered for the design and development of nanoparticles.*

forming capacity, and interlocking nature of functional groups followed by the selfassembly. Based on applications (biomedical or industrial), polymeric nanoparticles should possess the following characteristics such as biocompatibility and biodegradability with good cell survival rate, and they should obey the properties as mentioned in earlier sections [34]. However, every nanoparticle system has their limitations for their use in medical biotechnology and nanotechnology applications. By changing reaction methods, solvent concentration, temperature conditions, pH levels, its surface profile and another size, shape, and morphology can be modified [35]. Design and development of surfactant-free nanoparticles without using any harmful solvents and catalyst is a novel approach for green synthesis and technology. The term green synthesis, green technology, green nanoparticles, and green reactions define the methods and approaches followed by engineer nanoparticles and materials without any side effects, toxicity, and harm to mankind applications. The nanoparticles and capsules developed based on amino acid-based block copolymers, and plant extracts are termed as green nanoparticles as they show good biocompatibility for human beings [36].
