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Polymers
Special Issues
Biopolymers and Biodegradable Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, Application and Degradation Behavior
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Biopolymers and Biodegradable Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, Application and Degradation Behavior

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2024 | Viewed by 9036

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vishal Gavande

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Polymer Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
Interests: electrospinning; nanofibers; nanocomposites; polymer composites; biopolymers; polymer blends; coatings
Prof. Dr. Vasi Shaikh

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune 411038, India
Interests: liquid crystalline polymers; biopolymers; green composites; microplastics; polymer modification
Dr. Won-Ki Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Polymer Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
Interests: biopolymers; biodegradable polymers; degradation; langmuir-blodgett films; UV-curable coatings; nanocomposites; polymer blends; electrospinning; characterization of polymers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since the invention of the first synthetic polymer almost a century ago, polymers have proven to be an incredible boon for technological advancements due to their versatile properties. However, the environmental issues posed by the synthetic polymers are a cause for concern. Growing social awareness around the world, new environmental regulations, limited supplies of petroleum resources, and, most importantly, the unsustainable nature of such polymers today have compelled researchers to work on cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and long-term alternatives. Thus, biobased and biodegradable polymers are becoming more favourable options to be utilized in applications such as packaging, agriculture, commodities, medicine, and several other advanced areas due to their unique properties and obvious advantages. The unique properties of biobased and biodegradable polymers piqued scientists’ interest in a variety of novel applications. From this perspective, much research is now focused on renewable sources. Regarding their disadvantages, biopolymers in general have poor mechanical properties and limited processing capabilities. In order to overcome these drawbacks, biopolymers can be reinforced with fillers or nanofillers to make them useful in advanced applications. The present Special Issue focuses on the synthesis, properties, application, and degradation behaviour of biopolymers or biodegradable polymers and their composites. 

Dr. Vishal Gavande
Prof. Dr. Vasi Shaikh
Dr. Won-Ki Lee
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

  • biopolymers
  • biodegradable polymers
  • degradation techniques
  • mechanical properties
  • thermal properties
  • langmuir thin films
  • biodegradable composites
  • bio-nanotechnology

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 37942 KiB  
Article
Crystallization of Polylactic Acid with Organic Nucleating Agents under Quiescent Conditions
by Peng Gao, Saeed Alanazi and Davide Masato
Polymers 2024, 16(3), 320; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16030320 - 24 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 896
Abstract
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a versatile and sustainable polymer used in various applications. This research explores the use of orotic acid (OA) and ethylene bis-stearamide (EBS) as nucleating agents to enhance the quiescent crystallization of PLA within the temperature range of 80 °C [...] Read more.
Polylactic acid (PLA) is a versatile and sustainable polymer used in various applications. This research explores the use of orotic acid (OA) and ethylene bis-stearamide (EBS) as nucleating agents to enhance the quiescent crystallization of PLA within the temperature range of 80 °C to 140 °C. Different blends were produced via melt processing before analyzing via DSC, XRD, and SEM. Our results show that both nucleating agents significantly accelerated the crystallization process and reduced the incubation time and the crystallization half-time. The most promising results were obtained with 1% EBS at 110 °C, achieving the fastest crystallization. The XRD analysis showed that at 80 °C, the disordered α’phase predominated, while more stable α phases formed at 110 °C and 140 °C. Combining the 1% nucleating agent and 110 °C promotes densely packed crystalline lamellae. The nucleated PLA exhibited a well-organized spherulitic morphology in agreement with the Avrami modeling of DSC data. Higher nucleating agent concentrations yielded smaller, more evenly distributed crystalline domains. Utilizing OA or EBS in PLA processing could offer enhanced properties, improved processability, and cost-efficiency, making PLA more competitive in various applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Biodegradable Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, Application and Degradation Behavior)
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19 pages, 5063 KiB  
Article
Ternary Blends from Biological Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate), Poly(propylene carbonate) and Poly(vinyl acetate) with Balanced Properties
by Yujie Jin, Changyu Han, Yi Li, Hongda Cheng, Dongdong Li and Huan Wang
Polymers 2023, 15(21), 4281; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15214281 - 31 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 899
Abstract
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH) has gained significant attention because of its biodegradability and sustainability. However, its expanded application in some fields is limited by the brittleness and low melt viscoelasticity. In this work, poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) was introduced into PHBH/poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) blends [...] Read more.
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH) has gained significant attention because of its biodegradability and sustainability. However, its expanded application in some fields is limited by the brittleness and low melt viscoelasticity. In this work, poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) was introduced into PHBH/poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) blends via melt compounding with the aim of obtaining a good balance of properties. Dynamic mechanical analysis results suggested that PPC and PHBH were immiscible. PVAc was miscible with both a PHBH matrix and PPC phase, while it showed better miscibility with PHBH than with PPC. Therefore, PVAc was selectively localized in a PHBH matrix, reducing interfacial tension and refining dispersed phase morphology. The crystallization rate of PHBH slowed down, and the degree of crystallinity decreased with the introduction of PPC and PVAc. Moreover, the PVAc phase significantly improved the melt viscoelasticity of ternary blends. The most interesting result was that the remarkable enhancement of toughness for PHBH/PPC blends was obtained by adding PVAc without sacrificing the strength markedly. Compared with the PHBH/PPC blend, the elongation at the break and yield strength of the PHBH/PPC/10PVAc blend increased by 1145% and 7.9%, respectively. The combination of high melt viscoelasticity, toughness and strength is important for the promotion of the practical application of biological PHBH. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Biodegradable Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, Application and Degradation Behavior)
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13 pages, 3370 KiB  
Article
Replacing Harmful Flame Retardants with Biodegradable Starch-Based Materials in Polyethylene Formulations
by Bárbara O. Carvalho, Luís P. C. Gonçalves, Patrícia V. Mendonça, João P. Pereira, Arménio C. Serra and Jorge F. J. Coelho
Polymers 2023, 15(20), 4078; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15204078 - 13 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1172
Abstract
The addition of toxic flame retardants to commercially available polymers is often required for safety reasons due to the high flammability of these materials. In this work, the preparation and incorporation of efficient biodegradable starch-based flame retardants into a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) matrix [...] Read more.
The addition of toxic flame retardants to commercially available polymers is often required for safety reasons due to the high flammability of these materials. In this work, the preparation and incorporation of efficient biodegradable starch-based flame retardants into a low-density polyethylene (LDPE) matrix was investigated. Thermoplastic starch was first obtained by plasticizing starch with glycerol/water or glycerol/water/choline phytate to obtain TPS-G and TPS-G-CPA, respectively. Various LDPE/TPS blends were prepared by means of melt blending using polyethylene graft maleic anhydride as a compatibilizer and by varying the content of TPS and a halogenated commercial flame retardant. By replacing 38% and 76% of the harmful commercial flame retardant with safe TPS-G-CPA and TPS-G, respectively, blends with promising fire behavior were obtained, while the limiting oxygen index (LOI ≈ 28%) remained the same. The presence of choline phytate improved both the charring ability and fire retardancy of starch and resulted in a 43% reduction in fire growth index compared to the blend with commercial flame retardant only, as confirmed by means of cone calorimetry. Standard UL 94 vertical tests showed that blends containing TPS exhibited dripping behavior (rated V2), while those with commercial flame retardant were rated V0. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential of starch as a natural flame retardant that could reduce the cost and increase the safety of polymer-based materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Biodegradable Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, Application and Degradation Behavior)
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Review

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38 pages, 2868 KiB  
Review
Guided Tissue and Bone Regeneration Membranes: A Review of Biomaterials and Techniques for Periodontal Treatments
by Ali M. Alqahtani
Polymers 2023, 15(16), 3355; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15163355 - 10 Aug 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4880
Abstract
This comprehensive review provides an in-depth analysis of the use of biomaterials in the processes of guided tissue and bone regeneration, and their indispensable role in dental therapeutic interventions. These interventions serve the critical function of restoring both structural integrity and functionality to [...] Read more.
This comprehensive review provides an in-depth analysis of the use of biomaterials in the processes of guided tissue and bone regeneration, and their indispensable role in dental therapeutic interventions. These interventions serve the critical function of restoring both structural integrity and functionality to the dentition that has been lost or damaged. The basis for this review is laid through the exploration of various relevant scientific databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of science and MEDLINE. From a meticulous selection, relevant literature was chosen. This review commences by examining the different types of membranes used in guided bone regeneration procedures and the spectrum of biomaterials employed in these operations. It then explores the manufacturing technologies for the scaffold, delving into their significant impact on tissue and bone regenerations. At the core of this review is the method of guided bone regeneration, which is a crucial technique for counteracting bone loss induced by tooth extraction or periodontal disease. The discussion advances by underscoring the latest innovations and strategies in the field of tissue regeneration. One key observation is the critical role that membranes play in guided reconstruction; they serve as a barrier, preventing the entry of non-ossifying cells, thereby promoting the successful growth and regeneration of bone and tissue. By reviewing the existing literature on biomaterials, membranes, and scaffold manufacturing technologies, this paper illustrates the vast potential for innovation and growth within the field of dental therapeutic interventions, particularly in guided tissue and bone regeneration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Biodegradable Polymers: Synthesis, Properties, Application and Degradation Behavior)
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