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Polymers
Special Issues
Women in Polymer Science and Technology: Sustainable Polymers
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Women in Polymer Science and Technology: Sustainable Polymers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 June 2022) | Viewed by 13514

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Andreia F. Sousa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CICECO and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: polyester synthesis; bio-based materials; recycling; nanocomposite foams
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Nadia Lotti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Interests: polymer design; polymer synthesis and characterization; polymer modification; copolymerization; solid state properties; thermal properties and crystallization kinetics; mechanical characterization; bio-based monomers; bio-based polymers; nano-polymer; nanocomposites; gas barrier behaviour; polymer compostability; biopolymers for engineering tissue; polymeric for controlled drug delivery; biodegradation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since the very beginning of the history of science, on top of playing a pivotal role in the lives of prominent scientists, women themselves have made significant, outstanding contributions to the advancement of science, as well as that of technology. Nevertheless, evidence suggests that important gender differences still persist in academia today. This is something that we should all strive and work together to eradicate, and it is in this vein that this project "Women in Polymer Science and Technology" is being launched by Polymers.

As a part of this project, this Special Issue, entitled "Women in Polymer Science and Technology: Sustainable Polymers”, invites submissions by women and men working together with the aim of fighting the inequalities faced by women in the scientific field and also recognizing women’s abilities and their contributions to science. Our wish is to create a collection of wide-reaching works that provide a general overview of this interesting research topic. Topics of interest for publication in this Special Issue include but are not limited to:

  • Novel approaches and concepts, both conceptual and applied;
  • Monomer syntheses from renewable resources;
  • Polymerizations in solvent-free media or in solvents/media that can be recycled;
  • Alternatives to environmentally harmful reaction conditions and catalysts;
  • Characterization and properties of sustainable polymers vs. implemented ones;
  • Life and end-of-life perspectives.

Considering your significant contribution to polymer science and technology, we would like to cordially invite you to submit an article to this Special Issue.

The only requirement is that the first author or corresponding author be a woman.

Dr. Andreia F. Sousa
Prof. Dr. Nadia Lotti
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.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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13 pages, 2545 KiB  
Article
Isosorbide and 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid Based (Co)Polyesters: Synthesis, Characterization, and Environmental Degradation
by Chaima Bouyahya, Rafael Patrício, Ana Paço, Mafalda S. Lima, Ana C. Fonseca, Teresa Rocha-Santos, Mustapha Majdoub, Armando J. D. Silvestre and Andreia F. Sousa
Polymers 2022, 14(18), 3868; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14183868 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2073
Abstract
Poly(2,5-furandicarboxylate)s incorporating aliphatic moieties represent a promising family of polyesters, typically entirely based on renewable resources and with tailored properties, notably degradability. This study aims to go beyond by developing poly(isosorbide 2,5-furandicarboxylate-co-dodecanedioate) copolyesters derived from isosorbide (Is), 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), and [...] Read more.
Poly(2,5-furandicarboxylate)s incorporating aliphatic moieties represent a promising family of polyesters, typically entirely based on renewable resources and with tailored properties, notably degradability. This study aims to go beyond by developing poly(isosorbide 2,5-furandicarboxylate-co-dodecanedioate) copolyesters derived from isosorbide (Is), 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), and 1,12-dodecanedioic acid (DDA), and studying their degradation under environmental conditions, often overlooked, namely seawater conditions. These novel polyesters have been characterized in-depth using ATR-FTIR, 1H, and 13C NMR and XRD spectroscopies and thermal analysis (TGA and DSC). They showed enhanced thermal stability (up to 330 °C), and the glass transition temperature increased with the content of FDCA from ca. 9 to 60 °C. Regarding their (bio)degradation, the enzymatic conditions lead to the highest weight loss compared to simulated seawater conditions, with values matching 27% vs. 3% weight loss after 63 days of incubation, respectively. Copolymerization of biobased FDCA, Is, and DDA represents an optimal approach for shaping the thermal/(bio)degradation behaviors of these novel polyesters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women in Polymer Science and Technology: Sustainable Polymers)
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20 pages, 17677 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Properties, and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Poly(lactic acid)-co-Poly(propylene adipate) Block Copolymers Prepared by Reactive Extrusion
by Zoi Terzopoulou, Alexandra Zamboulis, Dimitrios N. Bikiaris, Miguel Angel Valera and Ana Mangas
Polymers 2021, 13(23), 4121; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13234121 - 26 Nov 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2783
Abstract
Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a biobased polyester with ever-growing applications in the fields of packaging and medicine. Despite its popularity, it suffers from inherent brittleness, a very slow degradation rate and a high production cost. To tune the properties of PLA, block copolymers [...] Read more.
Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a biobased polyester with ever-growing applications in the fields of packaging and medicine. Despite its popularity, it suffers from inherent brittleness, a very slow degradation rate and a high production cost. To tune the properties of PLA, block copolymers with poly(propylene adipate) (PPAd) prepolymer were prepared by polymerizing L-lactide and PPAd oligomers via reactive extrusion (REX) in a torque rheometer. The effect of reaction temperature and composition on the molecular weight, chemical structure, and physicochemical properties of the copolymers was studied. The introduction of PPAd successfully increased the elongation and the biodegradation rate of PLA. REX is an efficient and economical alternative method for the fast and continuous synthesis of PLA-based copolymers with tunable properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women in Polymer Science and Technology: Sustainable Polymers)
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18 pages, 2457 KiB  
Article
Chemical Modification of Poly(butylene trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) by Camphor: A New Example of Bio-Based Polyesters for Sustainable Food Packaging
by Giulia Guidotti, Gianfranco Burzotta, Michelina Soccio, Massimo Gazzano, Valentina Siracusa, Andrea Munari and Nadia Lotti
Polymers 2021, 13(16), 2707; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13162707 - 13 Aug 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2836
Abstract
Among the several actions contributing to the development of a sustainable society, there is the eco-design of new plastic materials with zero environmental impact but that are possibly characterized by properties comparable to those of the traditional fossil-based plastics. This action is particularly [...] Read more.
Among the several actions contributing to the development of a sustainable society, there is the eco-design of new plastic materials with zero environmental impact but that are possibly characterized by properties comparable to those of the traditional fossil-based plastics. This action is particularly urgent for food packaging sector, which involves large volumes of plastic products that quickly become waste. This work aims to contribute to the achievement of this important goal, proposing new bio-based cycloaliphatic polymers based on trans-1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and containing different amount of camphoric acid (from 0 to 15 mol %), a cheap and bio-based building block. Such chemical modification was conducted in the melt by avoiding the use of solvents. The so-obtained polymers were processed in the form of films by compression molding. Afterwards, the new and successfully synthesized random copolymers were characterized by molecular (NMR spectroscopy and GPC analysis), thermal (DSC and TGA analyses), diffractometric (wide angle X-ray scattering), mechanical (through tensile tests), and O2 and CO2 barrier point of view together with the parent homopolymer. The article aims to relate the results obtained with the amount of camphoric moiety introduced and to present, the different microstructure in the copolymers in more detail; indeed, in these samples, a different crystalline form developed (the so-called β-PBCE). This latter form was the kinetically favored and less packed one, as proven by the lower equilibrium melting temperature determined for the first time by Baur’s equation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women in Polymer Science and Technology: Sustainable Polymers)
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14 pages, 2766 KiB  
Article
Enzymatic Synthesis of Muconic Acid-Based Polymers: Trans, Trans-Dimethyl Muconate and Trans, β-Dimethyl Hydromuconate
by Dina Maniar, Csaba Fodor, Indra Karno Adi, Albert J. J. Woortman, Jur van Dijken and Katja Loos
Polymers 2021, 13(15), 2498; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13152498 - 29 Jul 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4432
Abstract
The vast majority of commodity polymers are acquired from petrochemical feedstock, and these resources will plausibly be depleted within the next 100 years. Therefore, the utilization of carbon-neutral renewable resources for the production of polymers is crucial in modern green chemistry. Herein, we [...] Read more.
The vast majority of commodity polymers are acquired from petrochemical feedstock, and these resources will plausibly be depleted within the next 100 years. Therefore, the utilization of carbon-neutral renewable resources for the production of polymers is crucial in modern green chemistry. Herein, we report an eco-friendly strategy that uses enzyme catalysis to design biobased unsaturated (co)polyesters from muconic acid derivatives. This method is an attractive pathway for the production of well-defined unsaturated polyesters with minimum side reactions. A suite of characterization techniques was performed to probe the reaction mechanism and properties of the obtained polyesters. It is rationalized that the alkene functionality of the muconate monomers plays an important role in the enzyme catalysis mechanism. The rendered polyesters possessed excellent thermal stabilities and unreacted alkene functionality that can consecutively undergo chain extension, copolymerization, or act as an anchor for other functional groups. These properties open new avenues in the fields of unsaturated polyester resins and photosensitive coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women in Polymer Science and Technology: Sustainable Polymers)
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