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Advanced Bio-Based Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications (Second Volume)
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Advanced Bio-Based Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications (Second Volume)

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 10587

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Uroš Maver

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska Ulica 8, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
2. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska Ulica 8, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Interests: biomaterials; pharmacology; drug delivery systems; regenerative medicine; tissue engineering; aerogels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Tina Maver

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
2. The Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Taborska ulica 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Interests: in vitro skin model; 3D bioprinting; tissue engineering; wound dressings; electrospinning
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marko Milojević

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Maribor, Taborska 8, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Interests: in vitro models; hydrogels; polysaccharides; 3D printing; hybrid scaffolds; scaffold characterisation; 3D cell cultures; 2D cell cultures

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biobased polymers are polymers produced from a biomass source, unlike those originating from an oleochemical source. Regardless of their abundance and the fact that some have been known for decades, these are still not as widespread as their “petroleum” counterparts. This might be due to barriers facing production, cost, and scalability of their functionalization and finding the best niche applications with high added value (e.g., medicine and electronics). Nevertheless, thanks to innovations in synthetic biology, material science, chemistry, and pharmaceutical technology, these polymers are becoming more affordable and increasingly used for various purposes. Importantly, innovation in harnessing technologies to obtain and purify biobased polymers from abundant natural sources has propelled their exploitation to novel heights. Development of natural fibers, genetic engineering, and hence potential production in bioreactors (e.g., microorganisms), as well as production of composite and hybrid materials from biobased polymers (including their use to obtain implant with multifunctional properties), now offer significant opportunities for improved materials from renewable resources with enhanced support for global sustainability.

For scientists, the real challenge now lies in defining applications, which would consume sufficiently large quantities of these materials to lead to price reduction, allowing biobased polymers to compete economically in the market.

In this Special Issue, the structural aspects and properties, synthesis, characterization, and application of biobased polymers will be discussed. Original articles, communications, as well as review articles that describe the current state of the art in the proposed field of research are of interest.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Chemical constituents and structural aspects of biobased polymers;
  • Structure, synthesis, and properties of biobased polymers;
  • Surface modification and functionalization of biobased polymers to obtain application-specific properties and/or multifunctionality of “substrate” materials;
  • Surface analysis of biobased polymers and their composite/hybrid formulations;
  • Different approaches for characterization of biobased polymers (including the development of in vitro models);
  • Application of biobased polymers in any form (e.g., coatings, 3D printed constructs) or shape (e.g., nanofibrous meshes, scaffolds, 3D cell cultures).

Dr. Uroš Maver
Dr. Tina Maver
Dr. Marko Milojević
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biobased polymers
  • functionalization
  • biodegradability
  • bioactivity
  • biomedical application

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 1631 KiB  
Article
Multilayer Methacrylate-Based Wound Dressing as a Therapeutic Tool for Targeted Pain Relief
by Tanja Zidarič, Kristijan Skok, Kristjan Orthaber, Matevž Pristovnik, Lidija Gradišnik, Tina Maver and Uroš Maver
Materials 2023, 16(6), 2361; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062361 - 15 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1823
Abstract
This study presents an innovative wound dressing system that offers a highly effective therapeutic solution for treating painful wounds. By incorporating the widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, we have created an active wound dressing that can provide targeted pain relief with ease. [...] Read more.
This study presents an innovative wound dressing system that offers a highly effective therapeutic solution for treating painful wounds. By incorporating the widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac, we have created an active wound dressing that can provide targeted pain relief with ease. The drug was embedded within a biocompatible matrix composed of polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate and polyhydroxypropyl methacrylate. The multilayer structure of the dressing, which allows for sustained drug release and an exact application, was achieved through the layer-by-layer coating technique and the inclusion of superparamagnetic iron platinum nanoparticles. The multilayered dressings’ physicochemical, structural, and morphological properties were characterised using various methods. The synergistic effect of the incorporated drug molecules and superparamagnetic nanoparticles on the surface roughness and release kinetics resulted in controlled drug release. In addition, the proposed multilayer wound dressings were found to be biocompatible with human skin fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that the developed wound dressing system can contribute to tailored therapeutic strategies for local pain relief. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Bio-Based Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications (Second Volume))
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17 pages, 6126 KiB  
Article
Numerical Analysis of a Transtibial Prosthesis Socket Using 3D-Printed Bio-Based PLA
by Vasja Plesec, Jani Humar, Polona Dobnik-Dubrovski and Gregor Harih
Materials 2023, 16(5), 1985; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16051985 - 28 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3319
Abstract
Lower-limb prosthesis design and manufacturing still rely mostly on the workshop process of trial-and-error using expensive unrecyclable composite materials, resulting in time-consuming, material-wasting, and, ultimately, expensive prostheses. Therefore, we investigated the possibility of utilizing Fused Deposition Modeling 3D-printing technology with inexpensive bio-based and [...] Read more.
Lower-limb prosthesis design and manufacturing still rely mostly on the workshop process of trial-and-error using expensive unrecyclable composite materials, resulting in time-consuming, material-wasting, and, ultimately, expensive prostheses. Therefore, we investigated the possibility of utilizing Fused Deposition Modeling 3D-printing technology with inexpensive bio-based and bio-degradable Polylactic Acid (PLA) material for prosthesis socket development and manufacturing. The safety and stability of the proposed 3D-printed PLA socket were analyzed using a recently developed generic transtibial numeric model, with boundary conditions of donning and newly developed realistic gait cycle phases of a heel strike and forefoot loading according to ISO 10328. The material properties of the 3D-printed PLA were determined using uniaxial tensile and compression tests on transverse and longitudinal samples. Numerical simulations with all boundary conditions were performed for the 3D-printed PLA and traditional polystyrene check and definitive composite socket. The results showed that the 3D-printed PLA socket withstands the occurring von-Mises stresses of 5.4 MPa and 10.8 MPa under heel strike and push-off gait conditions, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum deformations observed in the 3D-printed PLA socket of 0.74 mm and 2.66 mm were similar to the check socket deformations of 0.67 mm and 2.52 mm during heel strike and push-off, respectively, hence providing the same stability for the amputees. We have shown that an inexpensive, bio-based, and bio-degradable PLA material can be considered for manufacturing the lower-limb prosthesis, resulting in an environmentally friendly and inexpensive solution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Bio-Based Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications (Second Volume))
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Review

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29 pages, 4902 KiB  
Review
Review of Potential Drug-Eluting Contact Lens Technologies
by Tina Lovrec-Krstič, Kristjan Orthaber, Uroš Maver and Tomislav Sarenac
Materials 2023, 16(10), 3653; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16103653 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3342
Abstract
The field of ophthalmology is expanding exponentially, both in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities, as well as the worldwide increasing incidence of eye-related diseases. Due to an ageing population and climate change, the number of ophthalmic patients will continue to increase, overwhelming [...] Read more.
The field of ophthalmology is expanding exponentially, both in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities, as well as the worldwide increasing incidence of eye-related diseases. Due to an ageing population and climate change, the number of ophthalmic patients will continue to increase, overwhelming healthcare systems and likely leading to under-treatment of chronic eye diseases. Since drops are the mainstay of therapy, clinicians have long emphasised the unmet need for ocular drug delivery. Alternative methods, i.e., with better compliance, stability and longevity of drug delivery, would be preferred. Several approaches and materials are being studied and used to overcome these drawbacks. We believe that drug-loaded contact lenses are among the most promising and are a real step toward dropless ocular therapy, potentially leading to a transformation in clinical ophthalmic practice. In this review, we outline the current role of contact lenses in ocular drug delivery, focusing on materials, drug binding and preparation, concluding with a look at future developments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Bio-Based Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications (Second Volume))
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25 pages, 7682 KiB  
Review
Biopolymer Honeycomb Microstructures: A Review
by Dominik Fajstavr, Klára Fajstavrová, Bára Frýdlová, Nikola Slepičková Kasálková, Václav Švorčík and Petr Slepička
Materials 2023, 16(2), 772; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16020772 - 12 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1373
Abstract
In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of the formation of honeycomb microstructures and their applications, which include tissue engineering, antibacterial materials, replication processes or sensors. The history of the honeycomb pattern, the first experiments, which mostly involved the breath figure procedure [...] Read more.
In this review, we present a comprehensive summary of the formation of honeycomb microstructures and their applications, which include tissue engineering, antibacterial materials, replication processes or sensors. The history of the honeycomb pattern, the first experiments, which mostly involved the breath figure procedure and the improved phase separation, the most recent approach to honeycomb pattern formation, are described in detail. Subsequent surface modifications of the pattern, which involve physical and chemical modifications and further enhancement of the surface properties, are also introduced. Different aspects influencing the polymer formation, such as the substrate influence, a particular polymer or solvent, which may significantly contribute to pattern formation, and thus influence the target structural properties, are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Bio-Based Polymers: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications (Second Volume))
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