Macromol, Volume 6, Issue 2 (June 2026) – 9 articles

This review analyzes the advances over a five-year period in the development of polymeric sorbents for the purification of aqueous media from key classes of pollutants: hydrocarbons (crude oil, diesel fuel), organic dyes, pharmaceuticals (antibiotics), pesticides, herbicides, volatile organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Attention is paid to the analysis of structure-property-performance relationships, with an emphasis on comparing materials derived from renewable natural feedstocks (such as cellulose, chitosan, terpenes, vegetable oils, and aloe vera) with synthetic polymers. The analysis reveals that biopolymer-based sorbents exhibit comparable or superior sorption capacities combined with environmental safety, biodegradability, and low cost. The key sorption mechanisms include physical adsorption, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic interactions. Despite persisting challenges related to scalability, stability in real-world environments, and the need for efficient regeneration protocols, a convergent approach that combines the advantages of modified natural polymers and functional synthetic components appears to be the most promising strategy for developing cost-effective and sustainable technologies for the restoration of water quality. Full article

Fibroin-based films represent a promising platform for sustainable and bio-derived materials. Existing literature has mainly focused on isolated molecules, plasticizers, or chemical cross-linkers, and the function of complex, multi-component natural extracts as structure-modulating agents in fibroin films remains poorly understood. In this study, edible films containing mulberry leaf extract (MLE; 2–8 wt%) and fibroin (8 wt%) were prepared by solution casting, and their structures were investigated using spectroscopic, morphological, thermal, mechanical, and barrier property analyses. The results reveal that MLE induces concentration-dependent changes in film performance through multicomponent, non-covalent interactions with the fibroin. An approximately 187% increase in tensile strength was achieved at high MLE concentration, confirming effective physical reinforcement. The water vapor transmission rate decreased markedly from 0.888 to 0.170 g·h⁻¹·m⁻², indicating an enhanced moisture barrier, whereas oxygen permeability increased at higher extract loadings, suggesting localized chain rearrangements. High optical transparency in the visible region was maintained (79.95–83.77%), while UV response was selectively altered with extract concentration. Overall, the 8MLE formulation exhibited the most balanced performance. This study demonstrates that plant-derived extracts can serve as effective natural modifiers for tailoring fibroin film properties without inducing crystallization, offering a sustainable strategy for designing bio-based and edible protein film systems. Full article

This study focuses on the development and characterization of advanced composite materials based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), with or without silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), planned for peripheral nerve or bone regeneration. The complementary properties of PCL (biocompatibility and biodegradability) and PVDF (mechanical stability and piezoelectric functionality) were exploited by blending the polymers in different ratios, resulting in binary (PCL/PVDF) and ternary (PCL/PVDF/AgNPs) composites. Green-synthesized AgNPs were integrated to enhance antimicrobial activity and to support tissue repair through improved signal transmission. Functional thin films and electrospun fibres were obtained and subjected to advanced characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermal analysis. The results demonstrated appropriate morphology, chemical composition, structural stability, and favourable interactions with simulated physiological media. Preliminary biocompatibility assays confirmed good cell viability, supporting the biomedical applicability of the designed scaffolds. Overall, the obtained results highlight the potential of AgNPs-functionalized PCL/PVDF binary and ternary composites as promising candidates for flexible, durable, and bioactive implants in peripheral nerve or bone regeneration. Full article

This study developed poly(lactic acid) (PLA) biocomposites reinforced with pine wood flour (10, 20, and 30 wt%) to achieve the interphase through chemical modification. Specifically, the wood flour was treated with poly(propylene glycol) toluene 2,4-diisocyanate terminated (PEGTDI), while 1 wt% poly(lactic acid)-g-maleic anhydride (PLA-g-MA) was integrated as a reactive compatibilizer during extrusion and thermocompression. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis corroborated the occurrence of urethane formation and ester/anhydride linkages, as substantiated by the presence of characteristic bands indicative of surface carbamation at 1645 and 1726 cm⁻¹. Thermal analysis revealed that both the pine wood flour and coupling agents promoted PLA crystallization; however, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated a decrease in thermal stability for functionalized composites, suggesting a trade-off between enhanced interfacial interaction and heat resistance. Mechanical testing demonstrated a significant reinforcement effect, with the Young’s modulus increasing by up to 22% in untreated composites. The coupling agents effectively optimized stress transfer at low fiber loadings (10 wt%), while flexural modulus improvements were predominant at higher loadings (20–30 wt%) regardless of treatment. These findings underscore the criticality of surface modification and compatibilizer selection for tailoring the structural and thermo-mechanical properties of PLA-based biocomposites, thereby providing a pathway for optimized performance in structural applications. Full article

Bio-based, biodegradable, and renewable polymers offer a promising alternative to traditional synthetic polymers derived from petroleum or other non-renewable resources. However, their use is limited by suboptimal properties and high costs. Incorporating sustainable reinforcements into the polymer matrix significantly improves biopolymer performance while preserving key properties, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. Bio-based polymeric composites have emerged as a crucial category of biopolymers, playing a key role in advancing a sustainable, circular economy. This review provides an updated overview of bio-based polymer composites and nanocomposites, focusing on reinforcement strategies using natural nanofillers and engineered nanoparticles. We summarize key synthesis and processing methods, discuss structure–property relationships, and highlight recent advances in applications such as food packaging, biomedical devices, energy systems, environmental remediation, 3D printing, and supercapacitors. Polymer nanocomposites are versatile, with their performance depending on the type, size, and interactions between the fillers and the polymer matrix. Progress in metallic, ceramic, carbon-based, natural, and hybrid fillers has improved their properties. Using bio-based polymers and renewable fillers supports sustainability. Natural nanofillers derived from renewable sources and industrial byproducts offer a sustainable approach to developing high-performance, biodegradable nanocomposites. Smart nanocomposites can react to external stimuli by integrating specialized fillers that enhance their mechanical and mobility properties. Shape memory nanocomposites can be remotely activated—using heat, electricity, magnets, or light—enabling advanced applications. Finally, we address major challenges and outline future directions for scalable, circular-material solutions, drawing on perspectives from the circular economy and life cycle assessment (LCA). Full article

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has emerged as a structurally robust, biologically compatible, and highly adaptable biomaterial with significant potential for next-generation wound-care technologies. Its nanofibrillar, extracellular-matrix-like architecture provides exceptional moisture retention, mechanical stability, and conformability, enabling BC to function as an active scaffold rather than a traditional dressing. Advances in chemical modification, composite engineering, and bioactive functionalization, including antimicrobial metals, chitosan, biosurfactants, enzymes, and growth factors, have expanded BC’s therapeutic capabilities. Emerging smart BC dressings integrate biosensors, stimuli-responsive drug release, and 3D-printed architectures tailored to patient-specific wound geometries. Parallel developments in artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming BC production by optimizing bioprocessing, guiding genetic engineering, reducing culture media costs, and enabling real-time quality control, thereby improving scalability and industrial feasibility. These combined innovations position BC as a multifunctional, immunologically instructive, and digitally integrated platform for advanced regenerative wound care. This review reframes BC within the contemporary pathophysiology of chronic wounds, emphasizing its roles in immunomodulation, macrophage polarization, angiogenesis, mechanotransduction, and the disruption of mixed bacterial–fungal biofilms that characterize diabetic foot ulcers and other non-healing wounds. BC hydrogels typically contain >90–99% water and exhibit tensile strengths exceeding 200 MPa, enabling robust mechanical performance in wound environments. Advances in BC composites have demonstrated antimicrobial reductions of 3–5 log units against common chronic-wound pathogens. Full article

The production and use of plastics have direct consequences on the environment, such as the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) they cause. Therefore, it is necessary to develop materials from renewable sources with a lower environmental impact to replace plastic. In this work, films with bioactive properties have been developed from cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and natural phenolic compounds for food packaging applications. First, the optimization of the incorporation of three different natural phenolic compounds (tannic acid, p-coumaric acid, and acetosyringone) into nanocellulose was studied using a Box–Behnken design, with the phenols adsorbed by the nanocellulose as the output variable. Once the incorporation was optimized, films containing nanocellulose and phenolic compounds were produced and characterized. Tannic acid showed the best results with regard to the optical properties of the resulting films and achieved a complete blocking of UV-B radiation, as well as adding to nanocellulose antioxidant (4.32 mM TE/g film) and antibacterial capacity (log R of 6.6 ± 0.2 and 3.8 ± 0.1 for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively), making these films a promising material for use in contact with food as a packaging material, although more in-depth studies and measures are needed to make these films viable for use in food packaging. Full article

This study investigated the structural and anti-inflammatory properties of Zophobas morio lipids (ZMLs). The fatty acid (FAs) composition showed a higher proportion of unsaturated FAs, mainly consisting of oleic (30.30%) and linoleic acids (20.05%), than saturated FAs, including palmitic (24.80%) and stearic acids (12.96%). In addition, FT-IR and ¹H-NMR analyses confirmed that ZML possessed a typical triglyceride structure, with long-chain alkyl groups. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that ZML exhibited high thermal stability, with a degradation peak at 369 °C. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) displayed a thermal transition at −8 °C, corresponding to the crystallization of unsaturated FAs in ZML. ZML significantly inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage polarization by suppressing nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, thereby attenuating the expression of inflammatory mediators. Additionally, ZML alleviated inflammatory oxidative stress by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-mediated antioxidant pathway. Notably, ZML not only induced M2 macrophage polarization in quiescent macrophages but also reprogrammed M1 macrophages toward the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. These findings suggest that ZML is a natural nutritional lipid source and a potential therapeutic agent for modulating inflammatory response. Full article

This study aimed to prepare and characterize nanoemulsions containing eugenol and 1,8-cineole using the emulsification method and to investigate their anesthetic effects on guppy fish. The optimized formulation comprised a 5–10% mixture of eugenol and 1,8-cineole in a 1:2 ratio, stabilized with 15–20% Tween 80. The selected formulations displayed mean particle sizes below 15 nm, a low polydispersity index (PDI) (<0.5), and a zeta potential that was more negative than −40 millivolts (mV), indicating stable emulsions. Their pH ranged from 6.50 to 6.63, indicating slight acidity. The formulations exhibited non-Newtonian rheology, as well as thinning under shear stress. Three formulations (F2, F6, and F12) remained stable after both accelerated and long-term stability testing. All nanoemulsions were able to induce guppy fish to the third stage of anesthesia. The nanoemulsions with concentrations of 50 mg/L and 100 mg/L eugenol effectively induced sedation and anesthesia in both sexes and reduced the induction and recovery times compared with the ethanol solution. In conclusion, this study highlights nanoemulsions as a promising drug delivery system for alternative anesthetics in aquaculture. Full article