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Polymers
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Reactive and Functional Biopolymers
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Reactive and Functional Biopolymers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Smart and Functional Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 February 2025) | Viewed by 2049

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Arvind Negi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
Interests: PROTACs; E3-ligase; ubiquitination; occupancy driven pharmacology; SNIPERs; PHOTACs; E3 ligase ligand-linker conjugates; molecular glues; photocaged PROTACs
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the world moves to develop new strategies to minimize the consequences of climate change, there is a significant adoption rate of low environment footprint processes by large-size industries. However, small-to-medium-size polymer industries struggle to meet such requirements because of insufficient availability of sustainable processes, production rates, and cost-effectivity. Although natural biopolymers (for example, cellulose, chitosan, and other polysaccharides and naturally derived long-chain polymers) are abundant, only a handful of their processing methods are available, restricting their direct commercial use. This Special Issue will give an overview of the most recent advances in the field of biopolymers and their applications. In addition, this Special Issue aims to provide selected contributions on applications, strategies, and method development to enhance the reactivity and functionalization of naturally derived polymers. Submitted titles can enclose these keywords but are not limited to

  • Natural polysaccharides: Structural elucidation and applications
  • Functionalization of natural polysaccharides and peptides
  • Functionalized cellulose and its application
  • Chitosan: New method developments and applications
  • Nanoscale formulations of biopolymers and applications
  • Chemical Characterisation of Biopolymers and Derivatives
  • Application of Modified Polymers: superhydrophobicity, flame retardancy, dyeing etc.
  • Natural Peptides-Chemical processing and application

Dr. Arvind Negi
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.

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

  • polysaccharides
  • cellulose materials
  • biodegradable polymers
  • modified polymers
  • new material applications
  • packaging
  • coating

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 6233 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Physical–Chemical Characterization of a Biopolymer Derived from Cassava Starch, Cashew Nutshell Liquid, and Diammonium Phosphate
by Manuel Acosta Humánez, Yair Vega Vega, Alvaro Arrieta Almario, Oriana Palma Calabokis and Jair de Jesús Arrieta Baldovino
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1184; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091184 (registering DOI) - 26 Apr 2025
Abstract
A biopolymer was synthesized using starch, cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL), and the commercial fertilizer diammonium phosphate (DAP). The biopolymer and its constituents were characterized using SEM, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), and thermal analysis by TGA and [...] Read more.
A biopolymer was synthesized using starch, cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL), and the commercial fertilizer diammonium phosphate (DAP). The biopolymer and its constituents were characterized using SEM, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), and thermal analysis by TGA and DSC. The results showed that fertilizer particles could be encapsulated by the starch and CNSL matrix. Functional groups and ions in the biopolymer showed characteristic bands associated with starch, CNSL, and DAP fertilizer. Moreover, the biopolymer diffraction peaks contained XRD peaks of starch and DAP. The crystallinity of the biopolymer decreased. Starch, CNSL, and DAP electronic transitions appeared in the biopolymer, with possible signal overlapping. The bandgap of starch and biopolymer did not differ significantly (6.19 and 6.16 eV, respectively). Both materials acted as insulators. Differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetric evidenced the materials’ thermal behavior, where water elimination, degradation, oxidation, and gas formation were registered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive and Functional Biopolymers)
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Review

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46 pages, 7489 KiB  
Review
Environmental Impact of Textile Materials: Challenges in Fiber–Dye Chemistry and Implication of Microbial Biodegradation
by Arvind Negi
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070871 - 24 Mar 2025
Viewed by 461
Abstract
Synthetic and natural fibers are widely used in the textile industry. Natural fibers include cellulose-based materials like cotton, and regenerated fibers like viscose as well as protein-based fibers such as silk and wool. Synthetic fibers, on the other hand, include PET and polyamides [...] Read more.
Synthetic and natural fibers are widely used in the textile industry. Natural fibers include cellulose-based materials like cotton, and regenerated fibers like viscose as well as protein-based fibers such as silk and wool. Synthetic fibers, on the other hand, include PET and polyamides (like nylon). Due to significant differences in their chemistry, distinct dyeing processes are required, each generating specific waste. For example, cellulose fibers exhibit chemical inertness toward dyes, necessitating chemical auxiliaries that contribute to wastewater contamination, whereas synthetic fibers are a major source of non-biodegradable microplastic emissions. Addressing the environmental impact of fiber processing requires a deep molecular-level understanding to enable informed decision-making. This manuscript emphasizes potential solutions, particularly through the biodegradation of textile materials and related chemical waste, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which promotes clean water and sanitation. For instance, cost-effective methods using enzymes or microbes can aid in processing the fibers and their associated dyeing solutions while also addressing textile wastewater, which contains high concentrations of unreacted dyes, salts, and other highly water-soluble pollutants. This paper covers different aspects of fiber chemistry, dyeing, degradation mechanisms, and the chemical waste produced by the textile industry, while highlighting microbial-based strategies for waste mitigation. The integration of microbes not only offers a solution for managing large volumes of textile waste but also paves the way for sustainable technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive and Functional Biopolymers)
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28 pages, 2925 KiB  
Review
Cationized Cellulose Materials: Enhancing Surface Adsorption Properties Towards Synthetic and Natural Dyes
by Arvind Negi
Polymers 2025, 17(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17010036 - 27 Dec 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1232
Abstract
Cellulose is a homopolymer composed of β-glucose units linked by 1,4-beta linkages in a linear arrangement, providing its structure with intermolecular H-bonding networking and crystallinity. The participation of hydroxy groups in the H-bonding network results in a low-to-average nucleophilicity of cellulose, which is [...] Read more.
Cellulose is a homopolymer composed of β-glucose units linked by 1,4-beta linkages in a linear arrangement, providing its structure with intermolecular H-bonding networking and crystallinity. The participation of hydroxy groups in the H-bonding network results in a low-to-average nucleophilicity of cellulose, which is insufficient for executing a nucleophilic reaction. Importantly, as a polyhydroxy biopolymer, cellulose has a high proportion of hydroxy groups in secondary and primary forms, providing it with limited aqueous solubility, highly dependent on its form, size, and other materialistic properties. Therefore, cellulose materials are generally known for their low reactivity and limited aqueous solubility and usually undergo aqueous medium-assisted pretreatment methods. The cationization of cellulose materials is one such example of pretreatment, which introduces a positive charge over its surface, improving its accessibility towards anionic group-containing molecules or application-targeted functionalization. The chemistry of cationization of cellulose has been widely explored, leading to the development of various building blocks for different material-based applications. Specifically, in coloration applications, cationized cellulose materials have been extensively studied, as the dyeing process benefits from the enhanced ionic interactions with anionic groups (such as sulfate, carboxylic groups, or phenolic groups), minimizing/eliminating the need for chemical auxiliaries. This study provides insights into the chemistry of cellulose cationization, which can benefit the material, polymer, textile, and color chemist. This paper deals with the chemistry information of cationization and how it enhances the reactivity of cellulose fibers towards its processing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive and Functional Biopolymers)
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