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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymeric Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2025 | Viewed by 9729

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Dr. Jixin Yang

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology, Wrexham Glyndwr University, Plas Coch, Mold Road, Wrexham LL11 2AW, UK
Interests: biopolymers; polymer composites; materials chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biopolymers and polymer composites, including nanocomposites, are innovative materials with an extensive range of applications, including therapeutics, tissue engineering, and device manufacturing. Being synthesized from natural sources, these materials are generally considered to be environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and non-toxic. They currently play crucial roles in highly relevant fields, such as green chemistry, the environment, and health and wellbeing. They are also related to cutting-edge technologies and pave the way for material design, modelling and 3D printing. Research on biopolymers and their composites will remain popular in the foreseeable future.

This Special Issue, entitled “Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites” will focus on the latest advances in the material, processing methods, characterization techniques, and sustainability of biopolymers and their composites. We warmly invite academics and researchers to contribute original research papers, short communications, and review articles addressing a broad range of fundamental, experimental, and industrial topics.

Dr. Jixin Yang
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.

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Keywords

biopolymer
biopolymer-based composites
bionanomaterials
smart polymers for biomedical applications
polymeric composites for 3D printing
self-assembled polymer nanocomposites

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 7292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Temperature and Pressure on the Structural Stability of Solvated Solid-State Conformations of Bombyx mori Silk Fibroins: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

by Ezekiel Edward Nettey-Oppong, Riaz Muhammad, Ahmed Ali, Hyun-Woo Jeong, Young-Seek Seok, Seong-Wan Kim and Seung Ho Choi

Materials 2024, 17(23), 5686; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17235686 - 21 Nov 2024

Viewed by 399

Abstract

Bombyx mori silk fibroin is a promising biopolymer with notable mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and potential for diverse biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering scaffolds, and drug delivery. These properties are intrinsically linked to the structural characteristics of silk fibroin, making it essential to understand its molecular stability under varying environmental conditions. This study employed molecular dynamics simulations to examine the structural stability of silk I and silk II conformations of silk fibroin under changes in temperature (298 K to 378 K) and pressure (0.1 MPa to 700 MPa). Key parameters, including Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), Root Mean Square Fluctuation (RMSF), and Radius of Gyration (R_g) were analyzed, along with non-bonded interactions such as van der Waals and electrostatic potential energy. Our findings demonstrate that both temperature and pressure exert a destabilizing effect on silk fibroin, with silk I exhibiting a higher susceptibility to destabilization compared to silk II. Additionally, pressure elevated the van der Waals energy in silk I, while temperature led to a reduction. In contrast, electrostatic potential energy remained unaffected by these environmental conditions, highlighting stable long-range interactions throughout the study. Silk II’s tightly packed β-sheet structure offers greater resilience to environmental changes, while the more flexible α-helices in silk I make it more susceptible to structural perturbations. These findings provide valuable insights into the atomic-level behavior of silk fibroin, contributing to a deeper understanding of its potential for applications in environments where mechanical or thermal stress is a factor. The study underscores the importance of computational approaches in exploring protein stability and supports the continued development of silk fibroin for biomedical and engineering applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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20 pages, 71851 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thinking Green on 3D Printing: Sustainable Polymer Compositions of Post-Consumer Polypropylene and Tire Rubber Crumbs Intended for Industrial Applications

by Sandra Paszkiewicz, Jacek Andrzejewski, Daniel Grochała, Kamil Adamczyk, Paweł Figiel, Elżbieta Piesowicz and Katarzyna Pokwicka-Croucher

Materials 2024, 17(21), 5209; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17215209 - 25 Oct 2024

Viewed by 857

Abstract

Year by year, more and more plastic is used worldwide. A large part of post-consumer waste is still stored in landfills instead of being reused. The solution to this problem may be recycled materials (recyclates) or biodegradable materials. The method of 3D printing, regarded as a clean processing technology, can significantly contribute to addressing global plastic pollution by utilizing post-consumer recycled polymers to create new components and parts. Therefore, this study focuses on the assessment of various properties and characteristics of 3D-printed compositions based on post-consumer polypropylene (PP) and rubber crumbs, recycled from packages foils and car tires, respectively. Moreover, within this study, we compared the mechanical performance of the injection molding material with the one obtained from 3D printing. A characterization was made considering the thermal and mechanical properties as well as the “print quality” through the microscopic and tomographic analysis of subsequent print passes, the number of free spaces, and imperfections in the polymer melt. Samples obtained using the FDM and injection methods exhibited comparable melting temperatures, while the samples obtained by injection molding exhibited slightly better mechanical performance, higher hardness, and impact strength. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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19 pages, 2625 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Plant Additives on Antimicrobial Properties of Glass-Fabric-Reinforced Epoxy Composites Used in Railway Transport

by Aleksandra Węgier, Filip Kaźmierczyk, Magdalena Efenberger-Szmechtyk, Angelina Rosiak, Joanna Kałużna-Czaplińska and Anna Masek

Materials 2024, 17(18), 4666; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184666 - 23 Sep 2024

Viewed by 513

Abstract

The aim of this research was to explore the innovative use of natural additives, containing phytochemicals with proven antimicrobial effects, in the production of epoxy–glass composites. This study was based on information regarding the antimicrobial effects of phytochemicals present in Cistus incanus, Zingiber officinale, and Armoracia rusticana. The additives were subjected to a gas chromatography (GC) analysis to determine their composition, and, subsequently, they were used to prepare resin mixtures and to produce epoxy–glass composites. Samples of the modified materials were tested against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. In addition, flammability and durability tests were also performed. It was found that the strongest biocidal properties were demonstrated by the material with the addition of cistus, which caused a reduction of microorganisms by 2.13 log units (S. aureus), 1.51 log units (E. coli), and 0.81 log units (C. albicans). The same material also achieved the most favorable results of strength tests, with the values of flexural strength and tensile strength reaching 390 MPa and 280 MPa, respectively. Public transport is a place particularly exposed to various types of pathogens. Currently, there are no solutions on the railway market that involve the use of composites modified in this respect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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23 pages, 5146 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flame Retardancy and Thermal Stability of Rigid Polyurethane Foams Filled with Walnut Shells and Mineral Fillers

by Sylwia Makowska, Karolina Miedzińska, Agnė Kairytė, Jurga Šeputytė-Jucikė and Krzysztof Strzelec

Materials 2024, 17(18), 4629; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17184629 - 21 Sep 2024

Viewed by 900

Abstract

Recently, the influence of the concept of environmental sustainability has increased, which includes environmentally friendly measures related to reducing the consumption of petrochemical fuels and converting post-production feedstocks into raw materials for the synthesis of polymeric materials, the addition of which would improve the performance of the final product. In this regard, the development of bio-based polyurethane foams can be carried out by, among other things, modifying polyurethane foams with vegetable or waste fillers. This paper investigates the possibility of using walnut shells (WS) and the mineral fillers vermiculite (V) and perlite (P) as a flame retardant to increase fire safety and thermal stability at higher temperatures. The effects of the fillers in amounts of 10 wt.% on selected properties of the polyurethane composites, such as rheological properties (dynamic viscosity and processing times), mechanical properties (compressive strength, flexural strength, and hardness), insulating properties (thermal conductivity), and flame retardant properties (e.g., ignition time, limiting oxygen index, and peak heat release) were investigated. It has been shown that polyurethane foams containing fillers have better performance properties compared to unmodified polyurethane foams. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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12 pages, 3635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Finite Element Analysis of the Structure and Working Principle of Solid-State Shear Milling (S3M) Equipment

by Lingfei Wei, Chao Wang, Ruoxuan Duan, Zehang Zhou and Canhui Lu

Materials 2024, 17(17), 4210; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17174210 - 26 Aug 2024

Viewed by 599

Abstract

Solid-state shear milling (S3M) equipment is an evolution from traditional stone mills, enabling the processing of polymer materials and fillers through crushing, mixing, and mechanochemical reactions at ambient temperature. Due to the complex structure of the mill-pan, empirical data alone are insufficient to give a comprehensive understanding of the physicochemical interactions during the milling process. To provide an in-depth insight of the working effect and mechanism of S3M equipment, finite element method (FEM) analysis is employed to simulate the milling dynamics, which substantiates the correlation between numerical outcomes and experimental observations. A model simplification strategy is proposed to optimize calculation time without compromising accuracy. The findings in this work demonstrate the S-S bond breakage mechanism behind stress-induced devulcanization and suggest the structural optimizations for enhancing the devulcanization and pulverization efficiency of S3M equipment, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for its application in material processing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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16 pages, 8587 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Functional Composite Coatings on the Properties of Polyester Films before and after Accelerated UV Aging

by Małgorzata Mizielińska, Magdalena Zdanowicz, Alicja Tarnowiecka-Kuca and Artur Bartkowiak

Materials 2024, 17(13), 3048; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17133048 - 21 Jun 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 755

Abstract

The aim of this study was to cover biopolymeric packaging films based on PLA/PHBV blend with a functional composite coating (to retain their ecological character) and to investigate their antimicrobial properties before and after UV irradiation. As an active coating, the carrier hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), as well as its modified form with Achillea millefolium L., Hippophae rhamnoides L., and Hypericum L. extract (E) and a combined system based on the extracts and nano-ZnO (EZ), was used to obtain active formulations. Additionally, film surface morphology (SEM, FTIR-ATR) and color (CIELab scale) analysis of the pre- and post-UV-treatment samples were performed. The results confirmed that the E and EZ-modified films exhibited antibacterial properties, but they were not effective against phage phi6. Q-SUN irradiation led to a decrease in the activity of E coating against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas syringae, and Candida albicans. In this case, the effectiveness of EZ against C. albicans at 24 h and 72 h UV irradiation decreased. However, the irradiation boosted the antiviral effectiveness of the EZ layer. SEM micrographs of the film surface showed that UV treatment did not significantly influence the native film morphology, but it had an impact on the coated film. FTIR analysis results showed that the coatings based on HPMC altered the IR absorption of the nonpolar groups of the biopolyester material. The applied coatings only marginally affected film color changes and increased their yellowness after UV irradiation, whereas a composite layer of nano-ZnO limited these changes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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16 pages, 11149 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Lignin on the Thermal and Morphological Properties and Damage Mechanisms after UV Irradiation of Polypropylene Biocomposites Reinforced with Flax and Pine Fibres: Acoustic Emission Analysis

by Zouheyr Belouadah, Khaled Nasri and Lotfi Toubal

Materials 2024, 17(11), 2474; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17112474 - 21 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 977

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of lignin on the durability and performance of polypropylene-based biocomposites (PP–flax and PP–pine) under environmental stresses such as UV radiation and moisture. The findings indicate that pine fibres, with their higher lignin content, are significantly more resistant to thermal degradation than flax fibres. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that lignin influences crystallinity and melting temperatures across the composites, with variations corresponding to fibre type. Acoustic emissions analysis revealed that increasing the lignin content in pine fibres effectively reduces surface microcracks under UV exposure. Overall, these results underscore the importance of fibre composition in improving the performance and longevity of biocomposites, making them better suited for durable construction applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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18 pages, 4091 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sideritis raeseri—Modified Coatings on Ti-6Al-4V as a Carrier for Controlled Delivery Systems of Active Substances

by Karina Niziołek, Dagmara Słota, Julia Sadlik, Edyta Kosińska, Klaudia Korzeń, Josef Jampilek and Agnieszka Sobczak-Kupiec

Materials 2024, 17(10), 2250; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17102250 - 10 May 2024

Viewed by 1025

Abstract

The search for the ideal metallic material for an implant is still a difficult challenge for scientists due to the phenomenon of corrosion and the consequent disruption of the implant structure. Prevention is the application of coatings that protect the implant, activate the tissues for faster regeneration, and also prevent inflammation through antibacterial and antiviral effects. The present study focuses on the selection of components for a Ti-6Al-4V alloy coating. These days, researchers are taking an intense interest in extracts of natural origin. It was decided to take a look at Sideritis raeseri, which contains vitamins and valuable elements and is rich in polyphenols, as well as antioxidants. The composition of coatings based on a PEG polymer reinforced with brushite and the S. raeseri extract with the proteins L-carnosine, fibroin, or sericin was developed. The samples were subjected to detailed physiochemical analysis, including potentiometry and electrical conductivity analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and UV-VIS spectroscopy. The study demonstrated that polyphenols were successfully released from the coatings during incubation in vitro. The osteointegration process can be supported by a number of factors, such as the release of polyphenols from implant coatings to prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Subjecting the samples to 14 days of incubation demonstrated their interactions with the incubation fluids, an ion exchange between the medium and the materials. An analysis of the surface morphology exhibited the presence of brushite crystals and their increased number after incubation, indicating the bioactivity of the formed coatings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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18 pages, 8693 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Infusion Simulation of Graphene-Enhanced Resin in LCM for Thermal and Chemo-Rheological Analysis

by Hatim Alotaibi, Chamil Abeykoon, Constantinos Soutis and Masoud Jabbari

Materials 2024, 17(4), 806; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17040806 - 7 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1404

Abstract

The present numerical study proposes a framework to determine the heat flow parameters—specific heat and thermal conductivity—of resin–graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) (modified) as well as non-modified resin (with no GNPs). This is performed by evaluating the exothermic reaction which occurs during both the filling and post-filling stages of Liquid Composite Moulding (LCM). The proposed model uses ANSYS Fluent to solve the Stokes–Brinkman (momentum and mass), energy, and chemical species conservation equations to a describe nano-filled resin infusion, chemo-rheological changes, and heat release/transfer simultaneously on a Representative Volume Element (RVE). The transient Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) method is employed to track free-surface propagation (resin–air interface) throughout the computational domain. A User-Defined Function (UDF) is developed together with a User-Defined Scaler (UDS) to incorporate the heat generation (polymerisation), which is added as an extra source term into the energy equation. A separate UDF is used to capture intra-tow (microscopic) flow by adding a source term into the momentum equation. The numerical findings indicate that the incorporation of GNPs can accelerate the curing of the resin system due to the high thermal conductivity of the nanofiller. Furthermore, the model proves its capability in predicting the specific heat and thermal conductivity of the modified and non-modified resin systems utilising the computed heat of reaction data. The analysis shows an increase of ∼15% in the specific heat and thermal conductivity due to different mould temperatures applied (110–170 °C). This, furthermore, stresses the fact that the addition of GNPs (0.2 wt.%) improves the resin-specific heat by

3.68 %

and thermal conductivity by

58 %

in comparison to the non-modified thermoset resin. The numerical findings show a satisfactory agreement with and in the range of experimental data available in the literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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15 pages, 4346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Characterisation of Composites Prepared from PHBV Compounded with Organic Waste Reinforcements, and Their Soil Biodegradation

by Valentin Furgier, Andrew Root, Ivo Heinmaa, Akram Zamani and Dan Åkesson

Materials 2024, 17(3), 768; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17030768 - 5 Feb 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1175

Abstract

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a biobased and biodegradable polymer. This polymer is considered promising, but it is also rather expensive. The objective of this study was to compound PHBV with three different organic fillers considered waste: human hair waste (HHW), sawdust (SD) and chitin from shrimp shells. Thus, the cost of the biopolymer is reduced, and, at the same time, waste materials are valorised into something useful. The composites prepared were characterised by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile strength and scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Tests showed that chitin and HHW did not have a reinforcing effect on tensile strength while the SD increased the tensile strength at break to a certain degree. The biodegradation of the different composites was evaluated by a soil burial test for five months. The gravimetric test showed that neat PHBV was moderately degraded (about 5% weight loss) while reinforcing the polymer with organic waste clearly improved the biodegradation. The strongest biodegradation was achieved when the biopolymer was compounded with HHW (35% weight loss). The strong biodegradation of HHW was further demonstrated by characterisation by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Characterisation by SEM showed that the surfaces of the biodegraded samples were eroded. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Bio-Polymer and Polymer Composites)

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