Future-Oriented Biomaterials Based on Natural Polymer Resources: Characteristics, Application Innovations and Development Trends

This review comprehensively explores natural-based biomaterials, emphasizing their characteristics, applications and innovations across different sectors, including medical, environmental, energy, textile, and construction. With increasing concern about resource depletion and pollution, biomaterials have emerged as a sustainable alternative to fossil-derived products. In this review, polysaccharide-based biomaterials, protein-based biomaterials and others such as polyisoprene, rosin, and hyaluronic acid are explained, highlighting their compositions and attractive features including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and functional adaptability. Their ability to form hydrogel, aerogels, foams and nanocomposites expands their applications in drug delivery, wound healing, tissue engineering. Moreover, this review presents an in-depth explanation of future development trends of biomaterials highlighting their increasing potential in biomedicine, sustainable materials, environmental biotechnology and advanced manufacturing. Recent research on the integration of emerging technologies such as 3D bioprinting, nanotechnology and hybrid material innovation has proven to improve the structure, performance, functionality and scalability of biopolymers for the intended applications. Furthermore, improvement in biomaterial processing techniques in combination with other strategies are expected to address the challenges associated with biomaterials including low mechanical strength, variability and rapid degradation. These improvements will further increase the suitability of biomaterials and their role in a circular and sustainable economy.