Dynamic Bonds in Biopolymers: Enhancing Performance and Properties

As the demand for polymer materials increases, conventional petroleum-based synthetic polymers face several significant challenges, including raw material depletion, environmental issues, and the potential for biotoxicity in biological applications. In response, bio-based polymers derived from natural sources, such as cellulose, alginate, chitosan, and gelatin, have garnered attention due to their advantages of biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, these polymers often suffer from poor physical stability due to the high density of hydrogen bonds and the large structure of pyranose rings. This review explores the potential of incorporating dynamic covalent bonds into biopolymers to overcome these limitations. The chemical structures of biopolymers contain numerous functional groups that can serve as anchoring sites for dynamic bonds, thereby enhancing the mechanical properties and overall stability of the polymer network. The review discusses the performance improvements achievable through dynamic covalent bonds and examines the future potential of this technology to enhance the physical properties of biopolymers and expand their applicability in biological fields.