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Advanced Polymeric Biocomposites: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Applications
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Advanced Polymeric Biocomposites: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 January 2024) | Viewed by 7180

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Maria Daniela Stelescu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Rubber Research Department, Division: Leather and Footwear Research Institute, The Research Development National Institute for Textiles and Leather, 93 Ion Minulescu St., 031215 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: elastomeric and elasto-plastic materials; polymeric composites reinforced with natural fibers; nanocomposites; influence of radiation on polymers; waste valorization; physical–mechanical properties; rheological properties; chemical properties; biodegradability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Recently, there has been a growing interest in both academia and the industry for the development of new biocomposites and the discovery of new applications for those already on the market. This is due both to the new global regulations on environmental protection and economic benefits, as well as the mechanical, physical, chemical or biological properties that biocomposites exhibit. Biocomposites are made up of a polymer matrix and a biodegradable organic reinforcing filler, such as natural fibers. Because of this, they can be partially or completely biodegradable, thus having a less negative environmental impact. A wide range of biocomposites can be obtained with properties suitable for various applications, such as in the fields of automotive and aerospace engineering; in the furniture, construction, agriculture, footwear, medicine, pharmacy, and food industries; and in packaging, etc. Obtaining biocomposites with high-performance properties requires a ​​careful selection of materials, improvement of the interfacial adhesion between the polymer matrix and natural fibers, establishing the technological process and optimal working parameters, improvement of existing technologies, the application of new ecological and sustainable technologies, the diversification of the range of uses of materials, etc. This leads to the improvement of the breaking strength or hardness, as well as to special properties such as fire resistance, improved sound insulation capacity and damping capacity, etc. As a growing area of study, sustained efforts are needed to conduct and publish research to support and strengthen the further development of this field. 

It is my pleasure to invite you to submit original research articles and review papers, covering the most recent advances in the preparation, applications, and characterization of advanced polymeric biocomposites.

Dr. Maria Daniela Stelescu
Guest Editor

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

  • biocomposites
  • natural fibers
  • surface modification
  • interfacial adhesion
  • mechanical performance
  • structural and morphological characterization
  • applications of biocomposite
  • life cycle assessment

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 5001 KiB  
Article
Polymeric Biocomposite Based on Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) and Protein and Elastomeric Waste Mixture
by Mihaela Nituica, Ovidiu Oprea, Maria Daniela Stelescu, Maria Sonmez, Mihai Georgescu, Laurentia Alexandrescu and Ludmila Motelica
Materials 2023, 16(15), 5279; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16155279 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 837
Abstract
Polymeric biocomposites based on TPU/recycled TPUW/mixed leather and SBR rubber waste unmodified/modified with polydimethylsiloxane/PE-g-MA in different percentages were made via the mixing technique on a Plasti-Corder Brabender mixer with an internal capacity of 350 cm3. The waste, which came from the [...] Read more.
Polymeric biocomposites based on TPU/recycled TPUW/mixed leather and SBR rubber waste unmodified/modified with polydimethylsiloxane/PE-g-MA in different percentages were made via the mixing technique on a Plasti-Corder Brabender mixer with an internal capacity of 350 cm3. The waste, which came from the shoe industry, was cryogenically ground with the help of a cryogenic cyclone mill at micrometric sizes and different speeds. For the tests, standard plates of 150 × 150 × 2 mm were obtained in a laboratory-scale hydraulic press via the method of compression between its plates, with well-established parameters. The biocomposites were tested physico-mechanically and rheologically (MFI) according to the standards in force on polymer-specific equipment, also via FT-IR spectroscopy and microscopy, as well as via differential scanning calorimetry—DSC. Following the tests carried out, according to the standard for use in the footwear industry, at least two samples present optimal values (of interest) suitable for use in the footwear industry by injection or pressing in forming moulds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Biocomposites: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Applications)
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12 pages, 3857 KiB  
Article
How Retting Could Affect the Mechanical Behavior of Flax/Epoxy Biocomposite Materials?
by Mohamed Ragoubi, Morgan Lecoublet, Mehdi Khennache, Leonard Ionut Atanase, Christophe Poilane and Nathalie Leblanc
Materials 2023, 16(7), 2929; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072929 - 06 Apr 2023
Viewed by 926
Abstract
This study focuses on the retting effect on the mechanical properties of flax biobased materials. For the technical fiber, a direct link was established between the biochemical alteration of technical flax and their mechanical properties. In function of the retting level, technical fibers [...] Read more.
This study focuses on the retting effect on the mechanical properties of flax biobased materials. For the technical fiber, a direct link was established between the biochemical alteration of technical flax and their mechanical properties. In function of the retting level, technical fibers appeared smoother and more individualized; nevertheless, a decrease in the ultimate modulus and maximum stress was recorded. A biochemical alteration was observed as the retting increased (a decrease in the soluble fraction from 10.4 ± 0.2 to 4.5 ± 1.2% and an increase in the holocellulose fractions). Regarding the mechanical behavior of biocomposites manufactured by thermocompression, a non-elastic behavior was observed for the tested samples. Young moduli (E1 and E2) gradually increased with retting. The retting effect was more pronounced when a normalization was performed (according to the fiber volume and porosity). A 40% increase in elastic modulus could be observed between under-retting (−) and over-retting (+). Moreover, the porosity content (Vp) increased overall with fiber content. Setup 3, with optimized processing parameters, was the most desirable processing protocol because it allowed the highest fiber fraction (Vf) for the lowest Vp. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Biocomposites: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Applications)
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13 pages, 13592 KiB  
Article
Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Hydrolysed Collagen Nanofibers Loaded with Ginger Essential Oil
by Mariana Daniela Berechet, Carmen Gaidau, Aleksandra Nešić, Rodica Roxana Constantinescu, Demetra Simion, Olga Niculescu, Maria Daniela Stelescu, Irina Sandulache and Maria Râpă
Materials 2023, 16(4), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16041438 - 08 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1371
Abstract
Hydrolysed collagen obtained from bovine leather by-products were loaded with ginger essential oil and processed by the electrospinning technique for obtaining bioactive nanofibers. Particle size measurements of hydrolysed collagen, GC-MS analysis of ginger essential oil (EO), and structural and SEM examinations of collagen [...] Read more.
Hydrolysed collagen obtained from bovine leather by-products were loaded with ginger essential oil and processed by the electrospinning technique for obtaining bioactive nanofibers. Particle size measurements of hydrolysed collagen, GC-MS analysis of ginger essential oil (EO), and structural and SEM examinations of collagen nanofibers loaded with ginger essential oil collected on waxed paper, cotton, and leather supports were performed. Antioxidant and antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and antifungal activity against Candida albicans were also determined. Data show that the hydrolysed collagen nanofibers loaded with ginger EO can be used in the medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, or niche fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Biocomposites: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Applications)
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14 pages, 2956 KiB  
Article
Novel Nanocomposite Hydrogels Based on Crosslinked Microbial Polysaccharide as Potential Bioactive Wound Dressings
by Maria Minodora Marin, Madalina Albu Kaya, Durmus Alpaslan Kaya, Roxana Constantinescu, Bogdan Trica, Ioana Catalina Gifu, Elvira Alexandrescu, Cristina Lavinia Nistor, Rebeca Leu Alexa and Raluca Ianchis
Materials 2023, 16(3), 982; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16030982 - 20 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1542
Abstract
A multitude of dressings have been developed to promote wound repair, such as membranes, foams, hydrocolloids and hydrogels. In this study, a crosslinked polysaccharide hydrogel was mixed with a bioactive ingredient to synthesize a novel nanocomposite material to be used in wound healing. [...] Read more.
A multitude of dressings have been developed to promote wound repair, such as membranes, foams, hydrocolloids and hydrogels. In this study, a crosslinked polysaccharide hydrogel was mixed with a bioactive ingredient to synthesize a novel nanocomposite material to be used in wound healing. Variation of the ratio between hydrogel components was followed and its effect was analyzed in regard to swelling, degradation rate and thermo-mechanical behavior. The resulting crosslinked structures were characterized by FTIR and microscopy analyses. The antimicrobial activity of the crosslinked hydrogels loaded with bioactive agent was evaluated using two bacterial strains (Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia Coli). All the results showed that the new synthesized biopolymer nanocomposites have adequate properties to be used as antibacterial wound dressings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Biocomposites: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Applications)
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18 pages, 3698 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Properties and Equilibrium Swelling Characteristics of Some Polymer Composites Based on Ethylene Propylene Diene Terpolymer (EPDM) Reinforced with Hemp Fibers
by Maria Daniela Stelescu, Anton Airinei, Alexandra Bargan, Nicusor Fifere, Mihai Georgescu, Maria Sonmez, Mihaela Nituica, Laurentia Alexandrescu and Adriana Stefan
Materials 2022, 15(19), 6838; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15196838 - 01 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1851
Abstract
EPDM/hemp fiber composites with fiber loading of 0–20 phr were prepared by the blending technique on a laboratory electrically heated roller mill. Test specimens were obtained by vulcanization using a laboratory hydraulic press. The elastomer crosslinking and the chemical modification of the hemp [...] Read more.
EPDM/hemp fiber composites with fiber loading of 0–20 phr were prepared by the blending technique on a laboratory electrically heated roller mill. Test specimens were obtained by vulcanization using a laboratory hydraulic press. The elastomer crosslinking and the chemical modification of the hemp fiber surface were achieved by a radical reaction mechanism initiated by di(tert-butylperoxyisopropyl)benzene. The influence of the fiber loading on the mechanical properties, gel fraction, swelling ratio and crosslink degree was investigated. The gel fraction, crosslink density and rubber–hemp fiber interaction were evaluated based on equilibrium solvent-swelling measurements using the Flory–Rehner relation and Kraus and Lorenz–Park equations. The morphology of the EPDM/hemp fiber composites was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The water absorption increases as the hemp fiber loading increases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Biocomposites: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Applications)
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