Multifunctional Application of Biopolymers and Biomaterials-3rd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is a continuation of previous editions entitled  "Multifunctional Application of Biopolymers and Biomaterials" and "Multifunctional Application of Biopolymers and Biomaterials 2.0". We are pleased to reopen the Special Issue due to the high interest received in the previous editions from scholars, researchers, and scientists.

Biopolymers and biomaterials are two interlinked key topics of interest in the field of composite materials. Their use is inevitable, either now or in the near future, as it has already been established that synthetic polymers and chemically synthesized materials are harmful to both living beings and the environment. The excess use of non-biodegradable polymers has already caused severe damage to ecosystems, and, thus, biobased degradable polymers can serve as the ideal replacement. To this end, biopolymers from various natural sources, such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, etc., as individual materials or in a blend, are being used to create composites for various purposes, such as packaging, biomedical applications, etc. Additionally, chemical preservatives are commonly used in foods to enhance shelf life; recently, however, numerous reports have shown their negative impact. In the context of improving the physical properties of biopolymer-based composite materials and their functionality, biomaterials are superior to chemically produced synthetic toxic materials. Some biomaterials with value-added functional properties are bioactive compounds, plant extracts, essential oils, natural colorants, etc. The combination of biobased polymers and biomaterials can be useful for manufacturing functional composite materials.

The main goal of this Special Issue is to collect manuscripts exploring recent progress in the preparation of biobased composite materials that utilize biopolymers and biomaterials for potential applications, including, but not limited to, packaging, biomedical regime, and cosmetics. This themed research topic is expected to provide more awareness of the use of biobased polymers and biomaterials in everyday items.

Dr. Valentina Siracusa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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