Dear Colleagues,

The global packaging market was valued at USD  200 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 4.5% from 2022 to 2030. However, the use of petroleum-based synthetic polymers in packaging poses a significant threat to the environment. With the increasing concerns over population growth, safety, and health, as well as the rising demand for packaged food and consumer goods, the need for sustainable and smart packaging has become more pressing. Adopting renewable resin and cutting-edge technology to enable a closed-loop packaging system is crucial for reducing the carbon footprint and moving towards circularity. Starches are large, structurally diverse molecules that play crucial roles in numerous biological processes. Starch-based biopolymers are environmentally sustainable and possess desirable properties, such as good solubility, multifunctionality, and easy processability, making them a promising alternative to conventional petroleum-based synthetic polymers in packaging.

This Special Issue aims to gather original research papers, communications, and review articles that explore the synthesis, characterization, and applications of starch-based biopolymers, with a particular focus on novel classes of starch-based biopolymers that have potential in sustainable packaging, including thermoplastics, biofoams, hydrogels, ominophobic materials, and elastomers. A broad range of topics will be covered, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Synthetic of starch-based renewable resin;
• Multi-scale structure characterization;
• Mechanical and dynamic modeling of packaging;
• Biodegradable sensor technology;
• Investigation of biodegradable mechanisms;
• Barrier properties of starch-based biopolymers;
• Sustained-release properties of starch-based biopolymers;
• Safety assessment of starch-based biopolymers;
• Life-cycle analysis of starch-based biopolymers.

Dr. Xiaohong Lan
Dr. Dina Maniar
Prof. Dr. Xingxun Liu
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.

• starches
• packaging
• coating
• thermoplastics
• biodegradability
• life-cycle analysis

1. (submitted) Title: Synthesis and Properties of Fully Biobased Crosslinked Starch Oleate Films

Authors: Laura Boetje ^a, Xiaohong Lan ^a, Jur van Dijken ^a ,Michael Polhuis ^b, and Katja Loos ^a,*

^a Macromolecular Chemistry & New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenbogh 4, 9747AG, Groningen, The Netherlands

^b Avebe U.A., Zernikelaan 8, 9747AA, Groningen, The Netherlands