New Frontiers in Biopolymer Composites
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2022) | Viewed by 385
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Billions of human inhabitants on Earth create millions of tons of wastes every year. Possibly the most voluminous of all these wastes are fossil-fuel-based non-degradable plastics, which are causing serious health and environmental problems. For this reason, it is urgently needed to replace this non-degradable plastic material with cost-effective and eco-friendly polymers and polymer composites from renewable, natural sources. Biopolymeric composites based on biomaterials, also known as biocomposites, have emerged as sustainable alternatives in various applications where non-degradable polymer composites have already been exploited. The key properties inherent to biopolymers are biocompatibility and biodegradability, which render them suitable for both human beings and the environment. However, the main drawback of biopolymer composites is their poor mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, limited processing capability, and end-use application. To overcome these drawbacks, biopolymers can be reinforced with different fillers or plasticizers to improve their properties.
This Special Issue aims to attract both research and review articles on the fabrication, characterization, and novel functional applications of biocomposites. Topics of interest are:
- Thermoplastic starch-based biocomposites;
- Polylactic acid (PLA)-based biocomposites;
- Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA)-based biocomposites;
- Polypropylene carbonate (PPC)-based biocomposites;
- Polycaprolactone (PCL)-based biocomposites;
- Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based biocomposites;
- Cellulose-based biocomposites.
Dr. Uttam Paul
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- biocomposites
- cellulose
- starch
- biopolymer composites
- food packaging
- biopolymer composite
- biomedical applications
- 3D printing
- biopolymeric coating
- polysaccharides
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