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Polymers
Special Issues
Renewable, Degradable, and Recyclable Polymer Composites
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Renewable, Degradable, and Recyclable Polymer Composites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 3529

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Aleksander Hejna

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Materials Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 61-138 Poznan, Poland
Interests: polymer composites; reactive processing; lignocellulose fillers; filler modification; recycling; waste management; polyurethane foams
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

One of the most crucial trends in the current research on the development of polymer composites is the pursuit of a circular economy and limiting the environmental impact of the polymer sector. Therefore, both industrial and scientific sectors are seeking novel raw materials, fillers, additives, and modifiers for polymer composites, which are renewable, degradable, and originate from waste or recycling. The substitution of conventional composites with these materials represents a ground-breaking step toward environmental neutrality and a circular economy, which are among the main goals of multiple national governments and international organizations. 

Considering the abundant opportunities for innovations and future developments in this field, the editors are pleased to invite researchers to contribute their original research papers and reviews to this Special Issue, “Renewable, Degradable, and Recyclable Polymer Composites.”

Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Recycling of polymer materials as matrices for composites;
  • Waste-based or recycled fillers or additives for polymer materials;
  • Novel resources for renewable polymer composites;
  • Biodegradability and composting of polymer composites;
  • Environmental impacts of sustainable polymer composites;
  • Life cycle assessment of waste-based polymer composites.

Dr. Aleksander Hejna
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. 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

  • polymer composites
  • recycling
  • degradation
  • biodegradation
  • circular economy
  • composting
  • life cycle assessment

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 491 KiB  
Editorial
Renewable, Degradable, and Recyclable Polymer Composites
by Aleksander Hejna
Polymers 2023, 15(7), 1769; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15071769 - 02 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1436
Abstract
The substantial plastic pollution reaching almost every area of our planet and every aspect of human lives is pushing the polymer sector towards a circular economy, which would significantly limit its environmental impact [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable, Degradable, and Recyclable Polymer Composites)
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Research

Jump to: Editorial

14 pages, 9796 KiB  
Article
Recycling Polyethylene/Polyamide Multilayer Films with Poly(isoprene-g-Maleic Anhydride) Compatibilizer
by Andreia Romeiro, Cidália Teixeira, Henrique Costa, Jorge F. J. Coelho and Arménio C. Serra
Polymers 2024, 16(8), 1079; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16081079 - 12 Apr 2024
Viewed by 394
Abstract
Polymers generally form incompatible mixtures that make the process of recycling difficult, especially the mechanical recycling of mixed plastic waste. One of the most commonly used films in the packaging industry is multilayer films, mainly composed of polyethylene (PE) and polyamide (PA). Recycling [...] Read more.
Polymers generally form incompatible mixtures that make the process of recycling difficult, especially the mechanical recycling of mixed plastic waste. One of the most commonly used films in the packaging industry is multilayer films, mainly composed of polyethylene (PE) and polyamide (PA). Recycling these materials with such different molecular structures requires the use of compatibilizers to minimize phase separation and obtain more useful recycled materials. In this work, commercial polyisoprene–graft–maleic anhydride (PI-g-MA) was tested as a compatibilizer for a blend of PE and PA derived from the mechanical recycling of PE/PA multilayer films. Different amounts of PI-g-MA were tested, and the films made with 1.5% PI-g-MA showed the best results in terms of mechanical properties and dart impact. The films were also characterized thermally via thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and morphologically using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Other parameters, such as tearing and perforation, were analyzed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable, Degradable, and Recyclable Polymer Composites)
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18 pages, 3176 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Effect of Cellulose Nanocrystal Content on the Biodegradation Kinetics of Multiscale Polylactic Acid Composites under Controlled Thermophilic Composting Conditions
by Priscila Esther Colli-Gongora, Nora Magally Moo-Tun, Pedro Jesús Herrera-Franco and Alex Valadez-Gonzalez
Polymers 2023, 15(14), 3093; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15143093 - 19 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 769
Abstract
This work studied the effect of cellulose nanocrystal (NCC) content on the biodegradation kinetics of PLA-based multiscale cellulosic biocomposites (PLAMCBs). To facilitate biodegradation, the materials were subjected to thermo-oxidation before composting. Biodegradation was carried out for 180 days under controlled thermophilic composting conditions [...] Read more.
This work studied the effect of cellulose nanocrystal (NCC) content on the biodegradation kinetics of PLA-based multiscale cellulosic biocomposites (PLAMCBs). To facilitate biodegradation, the materials were subjected to thermo-oxidation before composting. Biodegradation was carried out for 180 days under controlled thermophilic composting conditions according to the ASTM D 5338 standard. A first-order model based on Monod’s kinetics under limiting substrate conditions was used to study the effect of cellulose nanocrystal (NCC) content on the biodegradation kinetics of multiscale composite materials. It was found that thermo-oxidation at 70 °C for 160 h increased the biodegradability of PLA. Also, it was found that the incorporation of cellulosic fibrous reinforcements increased the biodegradability of PLA by promoting hydrolysis during the first stage of composting. Likewise, it was found that partial substitution of micro cellulose (MFC) by cellulose nanocrystals (NCCs) increased the biodegradability of the biocomposite. This increase was more evident as the NCC content increased, which was attributed to the fact that the incorporation of cellulose nanocrystals facilitated the entry of water into the material and therefore promoted the hydrolytic degradation of the most recalcitrant fraction of PLA from the bulk and not only by surface erosion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewable, Degradable, and Recyclable Polymer Composites)
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