Recent Advances in Biodegradable Polymers and Biocomposites

Dear Colleagues,

Biodegradable polymers and biocomposites find applications in many market segments. Among their main advantages are their ability to meet mechanical requirements within a certain range of time, after which they degrade and are naturally absorbed at the end of the product’s life cycle. This ability can thus be used in the controlled release of substances such as fertilizers, perfumes, drugs, etc. On the other hand, single-use products, like packaging, fishing nets, or agricultural devices, can be easily disposed of by composting, reducing the produced waste. In the segment of medical devices, these materials are used in combination with cells to produce temporary implants that replace the mechanical functions of the extracellular matrix, while the biological tissue gradually regenerates and replaces the implant that degrades and is naturally assimilated by the human body, replacing transplants, autografts, or xenografts. However, the development of these materials still faces great challenges, namely in the characterization of biodegradation and erosion, associated with the progressive loss of mechanical properties and mass, respectively, until its complete erosion and assimilation, and the release kinetics of substances. Thus, this Special Issue will be devoted to presenting new approaches and methodologies used to characterize or simulate the degradation/disintegration of these materials. 

Dr. André Ferreira Costa Vieira
Dr. Joana Costa Vieira
Guest Editors

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