Preparation and application of the composite from alginate

Alginate is a biopolymer usually found in seaweeds and typically extracted from brown algae (Phaeophyceae) including Laminaria hyperborea, Laminaria digitata, Laminaria japonica, Ascophyllumnodosum, and Macrocystis pyrifera. Alginate is easy to modify through chemical modification and composite with other materials. It can be prepared in any form, such as microcapsules, microspheres, hydrogels, foams, sponges and fibers. The corresponding derivates are widely used in various fields, such as food industry, drug delivery and tissue engineering. Significant research has been conducted on preparation and application of the composite based on alginate. In the current chapter, we introduce the progress on different kinds of composites based on alginate, including the method for preparation and characterization of the corresponding composite. We will also introduce the latest developments for the application of the above composite in different fields, such as medical materials, food industry, agriculture, etc.