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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 November 2023) | Viewed by 19188

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Prof. Dr. Patrick M. Martin

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Unit of Transformations & Agroressources, ULR7519, Universite d'Artois, 62408 Bethune, France
Interests: bio-based chemistry; carbohydrates; lipids; secondary metabolites; amphiphilic; drug targeting, bio-control; materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Naceur M’Hamdi

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Research Laboratory of Ecosystems & Aquatic Resources, National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia, Carthage University, 43 Avenue Charles Nicolle, Tunis 1082, Tunisia
Interests: biotechnology; climate change and biodiversity; biostatistics; modeling; data analysis; optimization; design experiment; circular economy

Dr. Bochra Bejaoui Kefi

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1. Laboratory of Useful Materials, National Institute of Research and Pysico-chemical analysis (INRAP), Technopark of Sidi Thabet, Ariana 2020, Tunisia
2. Department of Chemistry, University of Carthage, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Zarzouna, Bizerte 7021, Tunisia
Interests: analytical chemistry; environmental analyses; water analyses; material; nanotechnology; solid-phase extraction; chromatography; spectroscopy; method validation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The world faces significant challenges as the population and consumption continue to grow while non-renewable fossil fuels and other raw materials are depleted at ever-increasing rates. Concerns about the overexploitation of non-renewable natural resources on the one hand and the exponentially increasing quantities of biomass that generate a dangerous and worrisome source of pollution, on the other hand, have opened up a potential market for high-performance, low-cost, non-toxic, recyclable, and biodegradable bio-sourced materials. Presently, a transition from fossil-based to a more sustainable and bio-based society is taking place. Formerly, recycling or reusing materials suitable for bio-based products can be notoriously difficult as many ‘waste’ products are hard to process.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to promote scientific and technical progress in the valorization of biomass into bio-based materials, from the extraction of biopolymers, and bio-based mixtures at the macro and nanoscales. This Special Issue aims to highlight the importance of bio-based materials in both research and industry axes. To this end, it will collect contributions on new bio-products, processes, applications, disruptive technologies, and industrial synergies that rely on circular economy principles.

We, therefore, invite scientists and engineers in the field of bio-based materials from the worldwide community to submit case studies, technical developments, research papers, and reviews that are relevant to this context.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

Bio-based products: extraction and characterization;
Production, characterization, and application of bio-based materials for remediation;
Isolation process of soluble bio-based substances;
Biotechnological advancements from a biomaterials perspective;

Environmental impacts of bio-based materials.

Prof. Dr. Patrick M. Martin
Dr. Naceur M’Hamdi
Dr. Bochra Bejaoui Kefi
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

biomaterials
biomass
bioproduct
biopolymers
biocomposites
bio-based products
extraction
optimization
characterization
environmentally friendly products

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 4984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Different Cellulose Fillers on the Properties of Xanthan-Based Composites for Soil Conditioning Applications

by Alessandro Sorze, Francesco Valentini, Jasna Smolar, Janko Logar, Alessandro Pegoretti and Andrea Dorigato

Materials 2023, 16(23), 7285; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237285 - 23 Nov 2023

Viewed by 854

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different types of natural cellulose-based fillers on the properties of Xanthan gum (XG) in order to develop novel bio-based soil conditioners (SCs) that could be used in forestry and agricultural applications. Rheological measurements highlighted that SCs with cellulose fillers characterized by a high aspect ratio and low oxide ash content exhibited an average increase of 21% in yield stress compared to neat Xanthan gum. The presence of cellulose fillers in the composites resulted in a slower water release than that of neat XG, limiting the volumetric shrinkage during the drying process. Furthermore, an analysis of the water absorption and water retention capacity of soils treated with the different SCs was carried out, demonstrating that the addition of 1.8 wt.% of SC with optimized composition to the soil led to an increase in water absorption capacity from 34% up to 69%. From the soil water retention curves, it was observed that the addition of SCs significantly increased the amount of water effectively available for plants in the area between field capacity and permanent wilting point (100–1000 kPa). From practical experiments on grass growth, it was observed that these SCs improved the water regulation of the soil, thus increasing the probability of plant survival under drought conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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13 pages, 3306 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Molecular Weight on the Enzymatic Degradation of PLA Isomer Blends by a Langmuir System

by Donghyeok Im, Vishal Gavande, Hak Yong Lee and Won-Ki Lee

Materials 2023, 16(14), 5087; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16145087 - 19 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 724

Abstract

Polylactides (PLAs) and lactide copolymers are biodegradable, compostable, and derived from renewable resources, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based synthetic polymers owing to their advantages of comparable mechanical properties with commodity plastics and biodegradability. Their hydrolytic stability and thermal properties can affect their potential for long-lasting applications. However, stereocomplex crystallization is a robust method between isomer PLAs that allows significant amelioration in copolymer properties, such as thermal stability, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility, through substantial intermolecular interactions amid l-lactyl and d-lactyl sequences, which have been the key approach to initial degradation rate and further PLA applications. It was demonstrated that the essential parameters affecting stereocomplexation are the mixing ratio and the chain length of each unit sequence. This study deals with the molecular weight, one of the specific interactions between isomers of PLAs. A solution polymerization method was applied to control molecular weight and chain architecture. The stereocomplexation was monitored with DSC. It was confirmed that the lower molecular weight polymer showed a higher degradation rate, as a hydrolyzed fragment having a molecular weight below a certain length dissolves into the water. To systematically explore the critical contribution of molecular weights, the Langmuir system was used to observe the stereocomplexation effect and the overall degradation rate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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18 pages, 2672 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal and Sound Characterization of a New Biocomposite Material

by Jovana Bojković, Miljan Marašević, Nenad Stojić, Vesna Bulatović and Branko Radičević

Materials 2023, 16(12), 4209; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16124209 - 06 Jun 2023

Viewed by 859

Abstract

Bio-based composites are increasingly used. One of the most frequently used materials is hemp shives, which is agricultural waste. However, as the quantities of this material are lacking, there is a tendency towards finding new and more available materials. Corncob and sawdust are bio by-products that have great potential as insulation materials. In order to use these aggregates, it is necessary to examine their characteristics. New composite materials based on sawdust, corncobs, styrofoam granules, and the mixture of lime and gypsum as the binder were tested in this research. This paper presents the properties of these composites obtained by determining the porosity of samples, volume mass, water absorption, airflow resistance and heat flux, which was followed by the calculation of the thermal conductivity coefficient. Three of the new biocomposite materials, whose samples were 1–5 cm thick for each type of mixture, were investigated. The aim of this research was to analyze the results of different mixtures and sample thicknesses in order to determine the optimum composite material of the proper thickness so that the best possible thermal and sound insulation could be obtained. Based on the conducted analyses, the biocomposite with a thickness of 5 cm, composed of ground corncobs, styrofoam, lime, and gypsum, proved to be the best in terms of thermal and sound insulation. New composite materials can be used as an alternative to conventional materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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13 pages, 3031 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Carbonized Zeolite/Chitosan Composite as an Adsorbent for Copper (II) and Chromium (VI) Removal from Water

by Endar Hidayat, Tomoyuki Yoshino, Seiichiro Yonemura, Yoshiharu Mitoma and Hiroyuki Harada

Materials 2023, 16(6), 2532; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062532 - 22 Mar 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1726

Abstract

To address Cu(II) and Cr(VI) water pollution, a carbonized zeolite/chitosan (C-ZLCH) composite adsorbent was produced via pyrolysis at 500 °C for two hours. C-ZLCH was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential measurements. The batch experiments were performed by varying the initial pH, concentration, and contact time. The optimal pH values for Cu(II) and Cr(VI) were 8.1 and 9.6, respectively. The highest adsorption capacities for Cu(II) and Cr(VI) were 111.35 mg/g at 60 min and 104.75 mg/g at 90 min, respectively. The effects of chemicals such as sodium (Na⁺), glucose, ammonium (NH₄⁺), and acid red 88 (AR88) were also studied. Statistical analysis showed that sodium had no significant effect on Cu(II) removal, in contrast to Cr(VI) removal. However, there was a significant effect of the presence of glucose, ammonium, and AR88 on both Cu(II) and Cr(VI) removal. The adsorption isotherm and kinetic models were fitted using Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models for Cu(II) and Cr(VI), respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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22 pages, 4358 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Speciation of Hexavalent Chromium in Aqueous Solutions Using a Magnetic Silica-Coated Amino-Modified Glycidyl Methacrylate Polymer Nanocomposite

by Ljiljana Suručić, Goran Janjić, Bojana Marković, Tamara Tadić, Zorica Vuković, Aleksandra Nastasović and Antonije Onjia

Materials 2023, 16(6), 2233; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16062233 - 10 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1535

Abstract

A new magnetic amino-functionalized polymeric sorbent based on glycidyl methacrylate was synthesized and used in the separation of chromium Cr(VI) oxyanions sorption from aqueous solutions in a static batch system. The kinetic and isothermal parameters of the sorption process were determined. The experimental data were best fitted by a pseudo-second-order model with R² = 0.994 and χ² = 0.004. The sorption process of Cr(VI) removal by amino-functionalized sorbent was controlled by both intraparticle diffusion and liquid film diffusion. The equilibrium results showed that the sorption process is best described by the Freundlich model, followed closely by the Sips isotherm model, with a maximum sorption capacity of 64 mg/g. Quantum chemical modeling revealed that the sorption sites on the sorbent surface are fragments with diethylenetriamine and aminopropyl silane groups that coated the magnetic nanoparticles. The calculations showed that Cr(VI) oxyanions (Cr₂O₇²⁻, CrO₄²⁻ and HCrO₄⁻) bind to both sorption sites, with diethylenetriamine centers slightly favored. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra demonstrate that the chromium bound to the sorbent in the form of Cr(III), indicating that the Cr(VI) can be converted on the surface of the sorbent to a less harmful form Cr(III) due to the sorbent’s chemical composition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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17 pages, 2298 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production of Activated Biochar Derived from Residual Biomass for Adsorption of Volatile Organic Compounds

by Elena David

Materials 2023, 16(1), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010389 - 31 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1982

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released in air represent a major potential for environmental pollution. Capture methods based on activated biochar have attracted attention because of their low cost and for the high removal capacity of the material due to its physical and chemical properties. In this paper, activated biochars were developed and their adsorption performance for VOC capture was evaluated. In the first step, biochars derived from rapeseed cake (RSC) and walnut shells (WSC) were obtained through a carbonization process and then were activated using basic/acid agents (KOH/H₂SO₄) to increase their performance as adsorbents. Acetone and toluene were used as the VOC templates. The adsorption capacities of toluene and acetone for non-activated biochars were reduced (26.65 mg/g), while that of activated biochars increased quite significantly, up to 166.72 mg/g, and the biochars activated with H₂SO₄ presented a higher adsorption capacity of VOCs than the biochars activated with KOH. The higher adsorption capacity of biochars activated with H₂SO₄ can be attributed to their large surface area, and also to their larger pore volume. This activated biochar adsorbent could be used with good results to equip air purification filters to capture and remove VOCs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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16 pages, 4309 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Warm-Water Retting Pretreatment on the Physical Properties of Banana Stem and Its Fibre

by Xiangyu Yu, Yuyang Xia, Dong Liang, Wei Fu and Chenghai Yin

Materials 2022, 15(23), 8462; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15238462 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3729

Abstract

In this paper, warm-water flax retting was used as a pretreatment method for banana-fibre extraction. To determine the optimum conditions for flax retting, the physical properties of various parts of stems and fibres in the process of flax retting were analysed. By studying the tensile strength, elongation at break, diameter, moisture regain, and other characteristics of the fibres, the influences of bacteria and enzymes in the retting liquor on the fibre characteristics in different retting stages were determined. Through mechanical-property tests and microscopic observation of the stem skin, the change rules of the mechanical properties and degumming state of the stems were examined. The results showed that the fibre tensile strength of banana stems reached the maximum value of 45 ± 16 cN·tex⁻¹ after 11 days of retting. As most resins had not been hydrolysed, fibre extraction was difficult. After 21–25 days of retting, the tensile strength of fibres was about 34 ± 10 cN·tex⁻¹, elongation at break was about 1.71%, and moisture regain was about 13.56%. The fibre characteristics met the process requirements, and the tensile separation stress of the stem was small, about 0.034 MPa. This time point could be used as the optimum endpoint for retting flax in warm water, which could provide theoretical support and research basis for the recycling of banana straw. The functional groups of the extracted fibres were studied by FTIR, which confirmed the observed change rule of each component during degumming. The experimental results showed that a longer retting time corresponded with a lower content of fibre impurities, more thorough degumming, and less difficult extraction; however, strength and toughness decreased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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15 pages, 2945 KiB

Open AccessArticle

ZnAl-SO₄ Layered Double Hydroxide and Allophane for Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Fe(III) Adsorption in Wastewater: Structure Comparison and Synergistic Effects

by Anna Maria Cardinale, Cristina Carbone, Marco Fortunato, Bruno Fabiano and Andrea Pietro Reverberi

Materials 2022, 15(19), 6887; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15196887 - 04 Oct 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1487

Abstract

Owing to their structure, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and allophane are nowadays considered as promising materials for application in different fields. The goal of this work is to compare the efficacy of allophane and ZnAl-SO₄ LDH to remove, by adsorption, some cationic and anionic pollutants from industrial wastewater. Both compounds were synthesized via the co-precipitation route (direct method) followed by hydrothermal treatment, obtaining nanoscopic crystallites with a partially disordered turbostratic (ZnAl-SO₄ LDH) or amorphous (allophane) structure. The characterization of the obtained compounds was performed by means of powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermal gravimetry analysis (TGA), field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis (FESEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The sorbents were tested using wastewater produced by a real metalworking plant and containing ionic species such as Cu(II), Fe(III) and Cr(VI), whose concentration was measured by means of inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). This investigation represents an alternative procedure with respect to standard protocols based on customarily made and artificially lab-produced wastewaters. Both sorbents and their combination proved to be efficient in Cr(VI) removal, irrespective of the presence of cations like Cu(II) and Fe(III). A synergistic effect was detected for Cu(II) adsorption in a mixed allophane/LDH sorbent, leading to a Cu(II) removal rate of 89.5%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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18 pages, 1941 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selected Physical and Spectroscopic Properties of TPS Moldings Enriched with Durum Wheat Bran

by Maciej Combrzyński, Agnieszka Wójtowicz, Anna Oniszczuk, Dariusz Karcz, Jarosław Szponar and Arkadiusz P. Matwijczuk

Materials 2022, 15(14), 5061; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15145061 - 20 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1508

Abstract

The impact of the amount of durum wheat bran additive used on the selected structural, mechanical, and spectroscopic properties of thermoplastic starch moldings was examined in this study. Bran was added to corn starch from 10 to 60% by weight in the blends. Four temperature settings were used for the high-pressure injection: 120, 140, 160, and 180 °C. The highest value of elongation at break (8.53%) was observed for moldings containing 60% bran. Moreover, for these moldings, the tensile strength and flexural strength were lower (appropriately 3.43 MPa and 27.14 MPa). The highest deformation at break (1.56%) were obtained for samples with 60% bran and injection molded at 180 °C. We saw that higher bran content (50 and 60%) and a higher injection molding temperature (160 °C and 180 °C) significantly changed the color of the samples. The most significant changes in the FTIR spectra were observed at 3292 and 1644 cm⁻¹ and in the region of 1460–1240 cm⁻¹. Moreover, notable changes were observed in the intensity ratio of bands at 1015 and 955 cm⁻¹. The changes observed correspond well with the amount of additive used and with the injection temperature applied; thus it may be considered as a marker of interactions affecting plasticization of the material obtained. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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22 pages, 3171 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Modification of the Plasticizing System on the Extrusion-Cooking Process and Selected Physicochemical Properties of Rapeseed and Buckwheat Straws

by Karol Kupryaniuk, Tomasz Oniszczuk, Maciej Combrzyński, Katarzyna Lisiecka and Damian Janczak

Materials 2022, 15(14), 5039; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15145039 - 20 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1348

Abstract

The article discusses the effect of modification of the plasticizing system of a single-screw extruder on selected physicochemical properties of rapeseed straw and buckwheat straw. A TS-45 single-screw extruder (ZMCh Metalchem, Gliwice, Poland) with an L/D = 12 plasticizing system was used for the process. The shredded straws were moistened to four moisture levels: 20, 25, 30 and 35% dry matter. Three different rotational speeds of the extruder screw were applied for the test cycle: 70, 90 and 110 rpm. The following characteristics were determined for the extrusion-cooking process: efficiency and specific mechanical energy. Selected physical properties were determined for the extrudates obtained in the process: water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), bulk density, and the efficiency of cumulative biogas and cumulative methane production expressed on dry mass, fresh mass, and fresh organic mass basis. It has been proved that the modification of the plasticizing system had a significant impact on the course of the process and the tested physicochemical properties. An important factor confirming the correctness of the modification is the increase in biogas efficiency. After modification, the highest yield of cumulative biogas from the fresh mass was 12.94% higher than in the sample processed before modification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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23 pages, 6445 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential of Flax Shives and Beech Wood-Derived Biochar in Methylene Blue and Carbamazepine Removal from Aqueous Solutions

by Hicham Zeghioud, Lydia Fryda, Angélique Mahieu, Rian Visser and Abdoulaye Kane

Materials 2022, 15(8), 2824; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15082824 - 12 Apr 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1788

Abstract

Flax shives and beech wood residues represent biomass streams that are abundant in Northwest Europe. These primary feedstocks were evaluated for their suitability to produce biochar as a low environmental-impact adsorbent. The efficacy of the produced biochars was tested by their adsorption capacity towards methylene blue (MB). A series of adsorption tests with carbamazepine is also presented, focusing on the better performing beech wood biochar. Post treatment of the biochars with citric acid (CA) and oxidation of the surface by heating at 250 °C in a muffle oven were carried out to enhance the adsorption capacities of both flax shives biochar (FSBC) and beech biochar (BBC). The resulting physicochemical characteristics are described. The thermally treated biochars have specific surface areas of 388 m²·g⁻¹ and 272 m²·g⁻¹ compared to the untreated biochars with 368 and 142 m²·g⁻¹ for BBC and FSBC, respectively. CA treatment leads to enhancement of the oxygenated surface functional groups and the adsorption capacities of both studied biochars. The non-linear Langmuir and Freundlich models show the best fit for both the isotherm data for MB and the CMZ adsorption with a good correlation between the experimental and calculated adsorption capacities. The effect of adsorbent dosages and initial concentrations of MB and CMZ on the adsorption efficiency is discussed. It can be concluded that beech biochar is a very promising pollutant adsorbent only requiring a mild, low-cost, and low-environmental impact activation treatment for best performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Based Materials and Their Environmental Applications)

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