Polymers

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Dear Colleagues,

Biodegradable bioplastics from renewable sources, or bioplastic-based biocomposites, are emerging as a promising alternative to traditional fossil-based plastics. Biocomposites, in fact, degrade rapidly in the soil compared to plastics of fossil origin (whose disposal requires hundreds or even thousands of years), contributing to the global effort to mitigate the environmental pollution caused by plastic and encouraging the transition from a linear to a circular economy.

Since traditional plastic materials of fossil origin are among the most widespread materials in the world due to their high versatility of use, technical characteristics, lightness and low price but poor biodegradabillity, they accumulate inexorably in the environment, causing the now well-known environmental pollution problems. The circular economy (with all the directives at the European and global levels) pushes toward radical change in the production and management of plastic materials to achieve zero waste production and environmentally sustainable management cycles.

Biodegradable polymers represent a valid alternative to polymers of fossil origin; however, they struggle with implementation due to the limited availability of raw materials and their high price.

This Special Issue focuses on biopolymers and all biocomposites used for this purpose and on all related aspects, ranging from material composition, biodegradation and regulatory aspects to the characterization, application and recycling possibilities of bioplastics.

Prof. Dr. Annamaria Visco
Dr. Cristina Scolaro
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

bioplastics
composite bioplastics
directives and legislation on the use of bioplastics
biodegradation
workability
physical–mechanical characterization
applications
recycling of bioplastics

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1867 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biobased Films Based on Chitosan and Microcrystalline Cellulose for Sustainable Packaging Applications

by Erika Alessia Di Liberto and Nadka Tzankova Dintcheva

Polymers 2024, 16(5), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16050568 - 20 Feb 2024

Viewed by 882

Abstract

The transition to a more sustainable lifestyle requires a move away from petroleum-based sources and the investigation and funding of renewable and waste feedstocks to provide biobased sustainable materials. The formulation of films based on chitosan and microcrystalline cellulose with potential applications in the packaging sector has been demonstrated. Glycerol is also used as a plasticizer in the formulation of flexible films, while mucic acid is used as a valid alternative to acetic acid in such films. The film based on chitosan, microcrystalline cellulose, glycerol, and mucic acid shows properties and a performance similar to those of the film formulated with acetic acid, and, in addition, it seems that the photo-oxidation resistance of the film based on mucic acid is better than that of the material containing acetic acid. The films were characterized using spectroscopy (FTIR and UV-vis), tensile testing, water contact angle measurements, surface observations, and photo-oxidation resistance measurements. The presence of microcrystalline cellulose enhances the mechanical behavior, UV barrier properties, and surface hydrophobicity of the film. The feasibility of formulating chitosan-based films, with or without microcrystalline cellulose, which exhibit good properties and performances is demonstrated. Mucic acid instead of acetic acid is used in the formulation of these film. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioplastics to Replace Fossil-Based Plastics—Perspectives for a Circular Economy)

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Review

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35 pages, 5010 KiB

Open AccessReview

Macroalgae Bioplastics: A Sustainable Shift to Mitigate the Ecological Impact of Petroleum-Based Plastics

by Nehal E. Elkaliny, Nurah M. Alzamel, Shaaban H. Moussa, Nour I. Elodamy, Engy A. Madkor, Esraa M. Ibrahim, Mostafa E. Elshobary and Gehan A. Ismail

Polymers 2024, 16(9), 1246; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16091246 - 29 Apr 2024

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Abstract

The surge in global utilization of petroleum-based plastics, which notably heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic, has substantially increased its harm to ecosystems. Considering the escalating environmental impact, a pivotal shift towards bioplastics usage is imperative. Exploring and implementing bioplastics as a viable alternative could mitigate the ecological burden posed by traditional plastics. Macroalgae is a potential feedstock for the production of bioplastics due to its abundance, fast growth, and high cellulose and sugar content. Researchers have recently explored various methods for extracting and converting macroalgae into bioplastic. Some of the key challenges in the production of macroalgae bioplastics are the high costs of large-scale production and the need to optimize the extraction and conversion processes to obtain high-quality bioplastics. However, the potential benefits of using macroalgae for bioplastic production include reducing plastic waste and greenhouse gas emissions, using healthier materials in various life practices, and developing a promising area for future research and development. Also, bioplastic provides job opportunities in free enterprise and contributes to various applications such as packaging, medical devices, electronics, textiles, and cosmetics. The presented review aims to discuss the problem of petroleum-based plastic, bioplastic extraction from macroalgae, bioplastic properties, biodegradability, its various applications, and its production challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioplastics to Replace Fossil-Based Plastics—Perspectives for a Circular Economy)

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