Sustainable Bio-Based and Circular Polymers and Composites

Dear Colleagues,

Renewable resources have long been utilized in polymeric materials, dating back to ancient times when humans employed naturally occurring polymers as materials. Natural resources such as cellulose, casein, and natural rubber were altered in the 19th century to create valuable polymeric compounds. The manufacture and application of synthetic polymers have increased exponentially in recent decades. However, concerns regarding the depletion of fossil fuels, disposal and its associated challenges, government restrictions, and other factors have resulted in heightened interest in the creation of safe, ecologically friendly, and sustainable plastics made from renewable resources.  Natural polymers such as starch, cellulose, or chitin can be chemically modified to produce sustainable polymers from renewable resources. 

Meanwhile, the continuous destruction of the environment, the rapid dwindling of petroleum reserves, and the continual demand for high-performance, lightweight materials have spurred interest in the utilization of novel and environmentally benign materials created from renewable resources. However, due to difficulties in the recycling of composite materials owing to the emission of hazardous materials during the decomposition process, they can cause serious harm to the environment. Furthermore, the natural deterioration of plastic can be caused by sunshine, saltwater, moisture, and temperature, and pollution from plastic waste often causes serious harm to the natural ecology. Thus, this Special Issue focuses on the next generation of intrinsically circular polymers that enable both optimal chemical circularity and tunable performance properties. These polymers are inherently, selectively, and rapidly depolymerizable to their monomer state once their kinetic barriers of deconstruction are overcome. 

The utilization of polymer nanocomposite materials is crucial in industries such as electronics, food packaging, automotive, and aerospace. It has been recognized that composite materials, which combine several elements to provide unique traits, have superior properties (e.g., mechanical capabilities, thermal stability, permeability). In recent decades, significant interest in scientific and industrial research on polymeric nanocomposites has been observed, and this has dramatically enhanced the properties of packaging, such as its barrier qualities, oxygen impermeability, solvent resistance, moisture permeability, thermal stability, and antibacterial qualities. In order to reduce the impact and utilization of polymeric materials generated from petroleum and their associated environmental issues, bio-based polymers and circular polymers have garnered significant interest. The application of nanotechnology across a wide range of industries has demonstrated its potential to enhance the quality and shelf life of products. 

Thus, sustainable bio-based and circular materials are starting to make an appearance in the plastic and composites industry, and are becoming increasingly commercialized. The current environmental agenda and the great desire to create new materials with improved properties make the development of biodegradable, circular and eco-friendly composites a very appealing area of study. Such biopolymer-based nanocomposites offer a potential alternative to traditional non-biodegradable polymers due to their high degree of biodegradability, comparable mechanical qualities, and ease of use. 

In this regard, this Special Issue, entitled “Sustainable bio-based and circular polymers and composites”, aims to present recent advancements in bio-based polymers and circular plastics and nanocomposites, as well as their possible uses in a range of industries, including drug delivery, regenerative medicine, smart medical devices, medical implants, energy storage, sensing and biosensing, etc. Research addressing the production, description, assessment of properties, biodegradation, and application of biopolymers and their composites will be considered for inclusion in this Special Issue. Therefore, writers are encouraged to submit their most recent findings in the form of original, complete articles, communications, or reviews that can enhance our understanding of this exciting field of study.

Dr. Maria-Paraskevi Belioka
Prof. Dr. Dimitris S. Achilias
Prof. Dr. George Z. Papageorgiou
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.

• synthesis of biopolymers
• biopolymer composites and nanocomposites
• biocompatibility and biodegradability
• circular polymers and composites
• processing methods of biopolymer composites/nanocomposites
• morphology and surface properties
• thermal behavior and thermal stability
• mechanical properties and structural integrity
• thermo-responsive biopolymer composites/nanocomposites
• eco-challenges of bio-based or circular polymer composites
• three-dimensional printing of bio-based or circular polymer nanocomposites
• biopolymer or circular polymer composites/nanocomposites for food packaging
• biopolymer or circular polymer composites/nanocomposites for energy storage
• biopolymer or circular polymer composites and nanocomposites for sensing/biosensing
• biopolymers or circular polymer and their composites/nanocomposites for smart medical devices
• biopolymer or circular polymer composites/nanocomposites for regenerative medicine
• bio-based polymer or circular polymer composites/nanocomposites for drug delivery