Ultrasound-assisted fabrication of biopolymer materials: A review

There is an urgent need to develop technologies that can physically manipulate the structure of biocompatible and green polymer materials in order to tune their performance in an efficient, repeatable, easy-to-operate, chemical-free, non-contact, and highly controllable manner. Ultrasound technology produces a cavitation effect that promotes the generation of free radicals, the fracture of chemical chain segments and a rapid change of morphology. The cavitation effects are accompanied by thermal, chemical, and biological effects that interact with the material being studied. With its high efficiency, cleanliness, and reusability applications, ultrasound has a vast range of opportunity within the field of natural polymer-based materials. This work expounds the basic principle of ultrasonic cavitation and analyzes the influence that ultrasonic strength, temperature, frequency and induced liquid surface tension on the physical and chemical properties of biopolymer materials. The mechanism and the influence that ultrasonic modification has on materials is discussed, with highlighted details on the agglomeration, degradation, morphology, structure, and the mechanical properties of these novel materials from naturally derived polymers.

Automated summary

There is an urgent need to develop technologies that can physically manipulate the structure of biocompatible and green polymer materials in order to improve their performance. Ultrasound technology, through cavitation effects, can generate free radicals, fracture chemical chain segments, and promote rapid morphological changes. Ultrasound has high efficiency, cleanliness, and reusability, making it highly applicable in the field of natural polymer-based materials. This study explains the basic principle of ultrasonic cavitation, analyzes the influence of ultrasound strength, temperature, frequency, and induced liquid surface tension on the physical and chemical properties of biopolymer materials, and discusses the mechanism and impact of ultrasonic modification on these materials.