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Special Issue "Natural Polymer Materials: Cellulose, Lignin and Chitosan"

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2024 | Viewed by 4851

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Dr. Vladimir A. Belyy

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Institute of Chemistry of the Federal Research Center of the Komi Research Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 167982 Syktyvkar, Russia
Interests: biomass conversion; biofuel production; biomass; structural characterization; thermogravimetric analysis; rheology
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Dear Colleagues,

Studies of biopolymers and engineering of new materials based on renewable sources contribute to sustainable development and offer ways to save the resources of the Earth for future generations. Recently, a lot of trends have emerged showing the ways of conversion of cellulose, lignin, and chitosan in such promising applications as composites, bioplastics, carbon fibers, nanoparticles, and adsorbents for the replacement of fossil-based synthetic polymers. It is important to mention that these biopolymers have the valuable potential of medical use due to biocompatibility and prospects for drug delivery and tissue engineering. The challenges in the areas of modification and applications of biopolymers are associated with undiscovered structural–chemical aspects, multilevel structural organization, and complexity of behaviour in the conversion processes.

This Special Issue on “Natural Polymer Materials: Cellulose, Lignin and Chitosan” is focused on recent advances in chemical and physicochemical modifications of cellulose, lignin, and chitosan, as well as on the development of new materials based on them, including composites, nanomaterials, and biomaterials. The Special Issue includes articles with new data on the structure and properties of biopolymers obtained using modern analysis methods. These fundamental studies should supplement the theoretical basis for the use of biopolymers as precursors in the development of high-value applications.

Dr. Vladimir A. Belyy
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

structural modification
structural characterization
structure–property relationships
nanostructured materials
biomaterials
functional biopolymers
medical applications

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Chitosan/Alginate Polymeric Nanoparticle-Loaded α-Mangostin: Characterization, Cytotoxicity, and In Vivo Evaluation against Breast Cancer Cells

Muchtaridi Muchtaridi

Ade Irma Suryani

Nasrul Wathoni

Yedi Herdiana

Ahmed Fouad Abdelwahab Mohammed

Amirah Mohd Gazzali

Ronny Lesmana

and

I. Made Joni

Polymers 2023, 15(18), 3658; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15183658 - 05 Sep 2023

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Abstract

α-mangostin (Amg), a compound isolated from the mangosteen rind (Garcinia mangostana, L.), has demonstrated promising anticancer activity. However, its low solubility and selectivity against cancer cells limit its efficacy. To address this issue, researchers have developed chitosan/alginate polymeric nanoparticles (NANO-AMCAL) to enhance the effectiveness of Amg. In vitro studies have demonstrated that NANO-AMCAL is highly active against breast cancer cells. Therefore, an in vivo study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of NANO-AMCAL in treating breast cancer in Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) and determine the effective dose. The rats were divided into seven treatment groups, including positive control, negative control, pure Amg, and NANO-AMCAL 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg. The rats were injected subcutaneously with a carcinogenic agent, 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) and were evaluated for weight and tumor volume every three days during treatment. Surgery was performed on day 14, and histopathological studies were carried out on breast and lung cancer tissues. The results showed that NANO-AMCAL significantly enhanced the anticancer activity of Amg in treating breast cancer in Wistar rats. NANO-AMCAL containing 0.33 mg of Amg had a healing effect three times better than 20 mg pure Amg and was comparable to tamoxifen. The effective dose of NANO-AMCAL for anti-breast cancer treatment in Wistar rats was found to be 20 mg, which exhibited a good healing response, and the tumor volume continued to decrease up to 17.43% on the 14th day. Furthermore, histopathological tests showed tissue repair and no metastases. These findings suggest that NANO-AMCAL may be a promising therapeutic option for breast cancer treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer Materials: Cellulose, Lignin and Chitosan)

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Open AccessArticle

Macromolecular Hydrodynamics and Fractal Structures of the Lignins of Fir Wood and Oat Husks

and

Polymers 2023, 15(17), 3624; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15173624 - 01 Sep 2023

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Abstract

The topological structure of the macromolecules of lignins isolated from oat husk and fir wood was studied by means of macromolecular hydrodynamic methods. The macromolecular properties were analyzed by evaluating the intrinsic viscosity and coefficients of the translational diffusion and the sedimentation velocity of the lignins in dilute dimethylformamide solutions. The average molecular weights (M_Dη) and polydispersity parameters were calculated based on the results of the fractionation, as follows: M_w = 14.6 × 10³, M_n = 9.0, and M_w/M_n = 1.62 for lignins from fir wood and M_w = 14.9 M_n = 13.5 and M_w/M_n = 1.1 for lignins from oat husks. The fractal analysis of the lignin macromolecules allowed us to identify the distinctive characteristics of the fractal and topological structures of these lignins. The measurements indicated that the fractal dimension (d_f) values of the guaiacyl-syringyl lignins from oat husks were between 1.71 and 1.85, while the d_f of a typical guaiacyl lignin from fir wood was ~2.3. Thus, we determined that the lignin macromolecules of oat husks belong to the diffusion-limited aggregation-type cluster–cluster class of fractals of the Meakin–Kolb type, with a predominance of characteristics common to a linear configuration. The lignins of softwood fir trees exhibited a branched topological structure, and they belong to the diffusion-limited aggregation-type particle–cluster class of fractals of the Witten–Sander type. Lignins from oat husks have the linear topology of macromolecules while the macromolecules of the lignins from fir wood can be characterized as highly branched polymers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer Materials: Cellulose, Lignin and Chitosan)

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Open AccessArticle

Potential of Nanocellulose as a Dietary Fiber Isolated from Brewer’s Spent Grain

Abraham Azael Morales-Juárez

Luis Daniel Terrazas Armendáriz

Juan Manuel Alcocer-González

and

Leonardo Chávez-Guerrero

Polymers 2023, 15(17), 3613; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15173613 - 31 Aug 2023

Viewed by 574

Abstract

Steady growth in beer production is increasing the number of by-products named brewers’ spent grain. Such by-products are a source of several components, where cellulose is usually present in high amounts. The aim of this study was to develop a protocol to obtain a mix of cellulose microfibers with an average diameter of 8–12 µm and cellulose nanoplatelets with an average thickness of 100 nm, which has several applications in the food industry. The process comprised one alkaline treatment followed by acid hydrolysis, giving a new mix of micro and nanocellulose. This mix was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and laser scanning microscopy corroborating the presence and measurements of the cellulose nanostructure, showing an aspect ratio of up to 500. Finally, we demonstrated that the administration of this new type of nanocellulose allowed us to control the weight of mice (feed intake), showing a significant percentage of weight reduction (4.96%) after 15 days compared with their initial weight, indicating the possibility of using this material as a dietary fiber. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer Materials: Cellulose, Lignin and Chitosan)

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Open AccessArticle

Physicochemical Characterization and Antimicrobial Analysis of Vegetal Chitosan Extracted from Distinct Forest Fungi Species

Iversen Luk Jun Lam

Mariah Aqilah Mohd Affandy

Nasir Md Nur ‘Aqilah

Joseph Merillyn Vonnie

Wen Xia Ling Felicia

and

Kobun Rovina

Polymers 2023, 15(10), 2328; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15102328 - 16 May 2023

Viewed by 860

Abstract

The main goal of this investigation is to conduct a thorough analysis of the physical, chemical, and morphological characteristics of chitosan derived from various forest fungi. Additionally, the study aims to determine the effectiveness of this vegetal chitosan as an antimicrobial agent. In this study, Auricularia auricula-judae, Hericium erinaceus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Tremella fuciformis, and Lentinula edodes were examined. The fungi samples were subjected to a series of rigorous chemical extraction procedures, including demineralization, deproteinization, discoloration, and deacetylation. Subsequently, the chitosan samples were subjected to a comprehensive physicochemical characterization analysis, encompassing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), degree of deacetylation determination, ash content determination, moisture content determination, and solubility determination. To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the vegetal chitosan samples, two different sampling parameters were employed, namely human hand and banana, to assess their effectiveness in inhibiting microbial growth. Notably, the percentage of chitin and chitosan varied significantly among the distinct fungal species examined. Moreover, EDX spectroscopy confirmed the extraction of chitosan from H. erinaceus, L. edodes, P. ostreatus, and T. fuciformis. The FTIR spectra of all samples revealed a similar absorbance pattern, albeit with varying peak intensities. Furthermore, the XRD patterns for each sample were nearly identical, with the exception of the A. auricula-judae sample, which exhibited sharp peaks at ~37° and ~51°, while the crystallinity index of this same sample was approximately 17% lower than the others. The moisture content results indicated that the L. edodes sample was the least stable, while the P. ostreatus sample was the most stable, in terms of degradation rate. Similarly, the solubility of the samples showed substantial variation among each species, with the H. erinaceus sample displaying the highest solubility among the rest. Lastly, the antimicrobial activity of the chitosan solutions exhibited different efficacies in inhibiting microbial growth of skin microflora and microbes found on the peel of Musa acuminata × balbisiana. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer Materials: Cellulose, Lignin and Chitosan)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Chitosan-Based Nano Systems for Natural Antioxidants in Breast Cancer Therapy

and

Polymers 2023, 15(13), 2953; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15132953 - 05 Jul 2023

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Abstract

Breast cancer is a major cause of death globally, accounting for around 13% of all deaths. Chemotherapy, the common treatment for cancer, can have side effects that lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an increase in oxidative stress in the body. Antioxidants are important for maintaining the health of cells and helping the immune system function properly. They play a crucial role in balancing the body’s internal environment. Using natural antioxidants is an alternative to mitigate the harmful effects of oxidative stress. However, around 80% of natural antioxidants have limited effectiveness when taken orally because they do not dissolve well in water or other solvents. This poor solubility affects their ability to be absorbed by the body and limits their bioavailability. One strategy that has been considered is to increase their water solubility to increase their oral bioavailability. Chitosan-based nanoparticle (CSNP) systems have been extensively explored due to their reliability and simpler synthesis routes. This review focuses on the various methods of chitosan-based nanoformulation for developing effective oral dosage forms for natural antioxidants based on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties. Chitosan (CS) could be a model, because of its wide use in polymeric NPs research, thus providing a better understanding of the role of vehicles that carry natural antioxidants in maintaining the stability and enhancing the performance of cancer drugs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Polymer Materials: Cellulose, Lignin and Chitosan)

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