Recent Advances in Biodegradable Polymers and Their Applications

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomacromolecules, Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2024 | Viewed by 2439

Special Issue Editors

Multidisciplinary Agroindustry Research Laboratory, Carrera de Ingeniería en Construcción, Instituto de Ciencias Químicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, 5 Poniente 1670, Talca 3467987, Chile
Interests: polymers synthesis; biopolymers; polysaccharides; adsorption; wastewater treatment; blends
Centro de Investigación de Estudios Avanzados Del Maule (CIEAM), Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Postgrado, Universidad Católica Del Maule, Talca, Chile
Interests: bioplastic; polylactic acid; lactic acid production; microbiology; chromatography; instrumental analysis
Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, Polytechnic School, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
Interests: biodegradable polymers; nanocomposites; thermal properties
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural polymers such as chitosan, alginate, BHA, lignin, hemicellulose, pectin and cellulose are low-cost structures, readily biodegradable, widely available and correspond to environmentally friendly resources. Due to their extraordinary affinity with contaminant compounds (such as heavy metal ions, toxins, organic solvents, and organic molecules), these polymers are receiving increasing attention for application as renewable alternative feedstocks in the fabrication of biopolymers for environmental troubles.

In this Special Issue, which provides a platform for collaborative discussion (through research, case reports, reviews, or short communications), we focus on the synthesis and characterization of new materials, especially in those that have several applications, including detoxification, bioremediation or bio-absorption, using natural polymers.

Finally, we invite research works based on newly developed natural polymers, modified of blend, with potential applications for this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Ricardo I. Castro Cepeda
Prof. Dr. Cristian Rodrigo Valdes Vergara
Dr. Manuela Zubitur
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. Polymers 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 2700 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

  • synthesis and characterization of biodegradable polymers
  • approaches for biodegradable polymers (wastewater treatment)
  • biodegradable polymeric with properties of detoxification, bioremediation, or bio-absorption

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2778 KiB  
Article
Development and Evaluation of Cross-Linked Alginate–Chitosan–Abscisic Acid Blend Gel
by Daniel Bustos, Luis Guzmán, Oscar Valdés, Marcelo Muñoz-Vera, Luis Morales-Quintana and Ricardo I. Castro
Polymers 2023, 15(15), 3217; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15153217 - 28 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 784
Abstract
Abscisic acid (ABA) has been proposed to play a significant role in the ripening of nonclimacteric fruit, stomatal opening, and response to abiotic stresses in plants, which can adversely affect crop growth and productivity. The biological effects of ABA are dependent on its [...] Read more.
Abscisic acid (ABA) has been proposed to play a significant role in the ripening of nonclimacteric fruit, stomatal opening, and response to abiotic stresses in plants, which can adversely affect crop growth and productivity. The biological effects of ABA are dependent on its concentration and signal transduction pathways. However, due to its susceptibility to the environment, it is essential to find a suitable biotechnological approach to coat ABA for its application. One promising approach is to utilize alginate and chitosan, two natural polysaccharides known for their strong affinity for water and their ability to act as coating agents. In this study, an alginate–chitosan blend was employed to develop an ABA cover. To achieve this, an alginate–chitosan–abscisic acid (ALG–CS–ABA) blend was prepared by forming ionic bonds or complexes with calcium ions, or through dual cross-linking. This was done by dripping a homogeneous solution of alginate–chitosan and ABA into a calcium chloride solution, resulting in the formation of the blend. By combining the unique properties of alginate, chitosan, and ABA, the resulting ALG–CS–ABA blend can potentially offer enhanced stability, controlled release, and improved protection of ABA. These characteristics make it a promising biotechnological approach for various applications, including the targeted delivery of ABA in agricultural practices or in the development of innovative plant-based products. Further evaluation and characterization of the ALG–CS–ABA blend will provide valuable insights into its potential applications in the fields of biomedicine, agriculture, and tissue engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Biodegradable Polymers and Their Applications)
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13 pages, 993 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Properties, and Biodegradability of Novel Sequence-Controlled Copolyesters Composed of Glycolic Acid, Dicarboxylic Acids, and C3 or C4 Diols
by Yuushou Nakayama, Keitaro Fukumoto, Yuji Kusu, Ryo Tanaka, Takeshi Shiono, Norioki Kawasaki, Naoko Yamano and Atsuyoshi Nakayama
Polymers 2023, 15(5), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051155 - 24 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1293
Abstract
We have previously reported that sequence-controlled copolyesters such as poly((ethylene diglycolate) terephthalate) (poly(GEGT)) showed higher melting temperatures than those of the corresponding random copolymers and high biodegradability in seawater. In this study, to elucidate the effect of the diol component on their properties, [...] Read more.
We have previously reported that sequence-controlled copolyesters such as poly((ethylene diglycolate) terephthalate) (poly(GEGT)) showed higher melting temperatures than those of the corresponding random copolymers and high biodegradability in seawater. In this study, to elucidate the effect of the diol component on their properties, a series of new sequence-controlled copolyesters composed of glycolic acid, 1,4-butanediol or 1,3-propanediol, and dicarboxylic acid units was studied. 1,4-Butylene diglycolate (GBG) and 1,3-trimethylene diglycolate (GPG) were prepared by the reactions of 1,4-dibromobutane or 1,3-dibromopropane with potassium glycolate, respectively. Polycondensation of GBG or GPG with various dicarboxylic acid chlorides produced a series of copolyesters. Terephthalic acid, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, and adipic acid were used as the dicarboxylic acid units. Among the copolyesters bearing terephthalate or 2,5-furandicarboxylate units, the melting temperatures (Tm) of the copolyesters containing 1,4-butanediol or 1,2-ethanediol units were substantially higher than those of the copolyester containing the 1,3-propanediol unit. Poly((1,4-butylene diglycolate) 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (poly(GBGF)) showed a Tm at 90 °C, while the corresponding random copolymer was reported to be amorphous. The glass-transition temperatures of the copolyesters decreased as the carbon number of the diol component increased. Poly(GBGF) was found to show higher biodegradability in seawater than that of poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PBF). On the other hand, the hydrolysis of poly(GBGF) was suppressed in comparison with that of poly(glycolic acid). Thus, these sequence-controlled copolyesters have both improved biodegradability compared to PBF and lower hydrolyzability than PGA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Biodegradable Polymers and Their Applications)
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