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Frontiers in Biodegradable Polymer: From Design to Applications
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Frontiers in Biodegradable Polymer: From Design to Applications

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Macromolecules".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 15410

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Raju Adhikari

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Guest Editor
School of Science, College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM), RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
Interests: polymers and biopolymers application in medical; agriculture; industrial applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Cuyler Borrowman

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton VIC 3800, Australia
Interests: biodegradation; novel biodegradable plastics; polymer biodegradation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The frontier of bio-based and biodegradable polymers is constantly moving forward. With finite petroleum resources, and a growing problem of persistent plastics accumulating in the environment, bio-based and biodegradable plastics are the clear material of choice for the future. For medical, agricultural, and industrial applications, there has been a huge interest in, and research done, on advancing the knowledge and understanding of their synthesis, and the structure-property-application relationship. Emerging areas of research in the fabrication and processing of biodegradable nanomaterials, nanoparticles, and nanofibers into devices has taken biodegradable polymers to advanced applications such as sensors, smart scaffolds, and the controlled delivery of bioactives and therapeutics. This Special Issue focuses on a broad range of state-of-the-art technologies in the synthesis and fabrication of biodegradable polymers, and their properties and applications in novel and commercial products, as well as unmet challenges and future frontiers.

Dr. Raju Adhikari
Dr. Cuyler Borrowman
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • biodegradable polymers
  • biodegradable nanomaterials
  • biopolymers
  • bioplastics
  • biocomposites
  • recent trends
  • future perspectives
  • applications
  • fabrications
  • synthesis
  • drug delivery

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 5624 KiB  
Article
Effect of New Eco-Polyols Based on PLA Waste on the Basic Properties of Rigid Polyurethane and Polyurethane/Polyisocyanurate Foams
by Marcin Borowicz, Marek Isbrandt and Joanna Paciorek-Sadowska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(16), 8981; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168981 - 20 Aug 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3015
Abstract
The aim of the presented research was to obtain two new eco-polyols based on waste polylactide (PLA) and to check the effect on the properties of rigid polyurethane (RPU) foams and, based on these, rigid polyurethane/polyisocyanurate (RPU/PIR) foams. The synthesis of eco-polyols was [...] Read more.
The aim of the presented research was to obtain two new eco-polyols based on waste polylactide (PLA) and to check the effect on the properties of rigid polyurethane (RPU) foams and, based on these, rigid polyurethane/polyisocyanurate (RPU/PIR) foams. The synthesis of eco-polyols was based on the transesterification reaction of melted PLA with diethylene glycol in the presence of an organometallic catalyst. Properties of the obtained eco-polyols were examined for their potential as raw materials for synthesis of rigid polyurethane and polyisocyanurate foams, i.e., hydroxyl value, acid value, density, viscosity, pH, water content. Spectroscopic studies (FTIR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR) were also carried out. Results of these tests confirmed the assumed chemical structure of the new polyols. RPU and RPU/PIR foam formulations were developed based on the obtained analytical results. Partial replacement of petrochemical polyol by eco-polyols in RPU and RPU/PIR foams decreased the value of apparent density, compressive strength, brittleness and water absorption. Moreover, all foams modified by eco-polyols showed higher resistance to aging. All RPU/PIR foams and most PRU foams modified by eco-polyols from waste PLA had better functional properties than the reference foams based on petrochemical polyol. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Biodegradable Polymer: From Design to Applications)
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18 pages, 3670 KiB  
Article
Effects of Polymer Blending on the Performance of a Subcutaneous Biodegradable Implant for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
by Linying Li, Christine Areson, Ariane van der Straten and Leah M. Johnson
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(12), 6529; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22126529 - 18 Jun 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3193
Abstract
Long-acting (LA) HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can mitigate challenges of adhering to daily or on-demand regimens of antiretrovirals (ARVs). We are developing a subcutaneous implant comprising polycaprolactone (PCL) for sustained delivery of ARVs for PrEP. Here we use tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) as a [...] Read more.
Long-acting (LA) HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can mitigate challenges of adhering to daily or on-demand regimens of antiretrovirals (ARVs). We are developing a subcutaneous implant comprising polycaprolactone (PCL) for sustained delivery of ARVs for PrEP. Here we use tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) as a model drug. Previously, we demonstrated that the release rates of drugs are controlled by the implant surface area and wall thickness, and the molecular weight (MW) of PCL. Here, we further advance the implant design and tailor the release rates of TAF and the mechanical integrity of the implant through unique polymer blend formulations. In vitro release of TAF from the implant exhibited zero-order release kinetics for ~120 days. TAF release rates were readily controlled via the MW of the polymer blend, with PCL formulations of higher MW releasing the drug faster than implants with lower MW PCL. Use of polymer MW to tune drug release rates is partly explained by PCL crystallinity, as higher PCL crystalline material is often associated with a slower release rate. Moreover, results showed the ability to tailor mechanical properties via PCL blends. Blending PCL offers an effective approach for tuning the ARV release rates, implant duration, and integrity, and ultimately the biodegradation profiles of the implant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Biodegradable Polymer: From Design to Applications)
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24 pages, 4657 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Characterization Superabsorbent Polymers Made of Starch, Acrylic Acid, Acrylamide, Poly(Vinyl Alcohol), 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate, 2-Acrylamido-2-methylpropane Sulfonic Acid
by Elżbieta Czarnecka and Jacek Nowaczyk
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(9), 4325; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22094325 - 21 Apr 2021
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5369
Abstract
Three polymers with excellent absorption properties were synthesized by graft polymerization: soluble starch-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl alcohol)/potato starch-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide), poly(vinyl alcohol)/potato starch-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide-co-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid). Ammonium persulfate and potassium persulfate were used as initiators, while N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide was used as the crosslinking agent. [...] Read more.
Three polymers with excellent absorption properties were synthesized by graft polymerization: soluble starch-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl alcohol)/potato starch-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide), poly(vinyl alcohol)/potato starch-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide-co-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid). Ammonium persulfate and potassium persulfate were used as initiators, while N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide was used as the crosslinking agent. The molecular structure of potato and soluble starch grafted by synthetic polymers was characterized by means of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The morphology of the resulting materials was studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Thermal stability was tested by thermogravimetric measurements. The absorption properties of the obtained biopolymers were tested in deionized water, sodium chroma solutions of various concentrations and in buffer solutions of various pH. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Biodegradable Polymer: From Design to Applications)
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28 pages, 5747 KiB  
Article
Use of a Mixture of Polyols Based on Metasilicic Acid and Recycled PLA for Synthesis of Rigid Polyurethane Foams Susceptible to Biodegradation
by Joanna Paciorek-Sadowska, Marcin Borowicz, Ewelina Chmiel and Jacek Lubczak
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(1), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22010069 - 23 Dec 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3060
Abstract
Two polyol raw materials were obtained in the conducted research, one based on metasilicic acid (MSA), the other based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) waste. The obtained polyols were characterized in terms of their applicability for the production of rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs). Their [...] Read more.
Two polyol raw materials were obtained in the conducted research, one based on metasilicic acid (MSA), the other based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) waste. The obtained polyols were characterized in terms of their applicability for the production of rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs). Their basic analytical properties (hydroxyl number, acid number, elemental analysis) and physicochemical properties (density, viscosity) were determined. The assumed chemical structure of the obtained new compounds was confirmed by performing FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopic tests. Formulations for the synthesis of RPUFs were developed on the basis of the obtained research results. A mixture of polyols based on MSA and PLA in a weight ratio of 1:1 was used as the polyol component in the polyurethane formulation. The reference foam in these tests was a foam that was synthesized only on the basis of MSA-polyol. The obtained RPUFs were tested for basic functional properties (apparent density, compressive strength, water absorption, thermal conductivity coefficient etc.). Susceptibility to biodegradation in soil environment was also tested. It was found that the use of mixture of polyols based on MSA and PLA positively affected the properties of the obtained foam. The polyurethane foam based on this polyol mixture showed good thermal resistance and significantly reduced flammability in comparison with the foam based MSA-polyol. Moreover, it showed higher compressive strength, lower thermal conductivity and biodegradability in soil. The results of the conducted tests confirmed that the new foam was characterized by very good performance properties. In addition, this research provides information on new waste management opportunities and fits into the doctrine of sustainable resource management offered by the circular economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Biodegradable Polymer: From Design to Applications)
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