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Polymers and Plastic Waste: Properties, Mechanics, Chemical and Thermal Recycling
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Polymers and Plastic Waste: Properties, Mechanics, Chemical and Thermal Recycling

A Special Issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944) belonging to the section "Polymeric Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2027 | Viewed by 4741

Editors

Dr. Adam Gnatowski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Czestochowa University of Technology, Dabrowskiego 69, 42-201 Czestochowa, Poland
Interests: mechanical properties; thermomechanical properties; polymer materials; composites; thermal analysis; TG/DTG; DTA; DSC; QMS; computer simulation of processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Kijo-Kleczkowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Czestochowa University of Technology, Dabrowskiego 69, 42-201 Czestochowa, Poland
Interests: fuels; waste; polymer materials; composites; combustion; pyrolysis; thermal analysis; TG/DTG; DTA; DSC; QMS; emission of pollutants; recycling; thermomechanical properties of materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The aim of this Special Issue is to present research papers that focus on the characteristics and thermomechanical processes of polymers and their modifications. Recognizing the role of different modifiers in polymers is crucial for developing new materials and enhancing existing ones. Progress in the engineering of polymer materials, particularly in the quest for innovative polymers with tailored properties, has broadened their application scope, especially in automotive, construction, energy, packaging, and healthcare sectors. The effective use of new polymer materials necessitates an understanding of their mechanical and thermal properties, as well as awareness of how these properties change during use and degradation. Environmental considerations are also significant, encompassing the pyrolysis and combustion of polymers, the thermal recovery of energy from polymer waste, and other applications of recycled polymer materials. It is essential to carry out model studies on the property changes in polymer materials and to employ computer simulations to analyze the exploitation and thermal behavior of polymers.

Dr. Adam Gnatowski
Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Kijo-Kleczkowska
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials 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 2600 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.

Keywords

  • thermomechanical properties of polymers and composites
  • structure of polymeric materials
  • combustion and pyrolysis of polymeric materials
  • recycling of polymeric materials
  • co-combustion and co-pyrolysis of polymeric materials with fuels and waste
  • thermal analysis of polymers and composites
  • TG/DTG
  • DTA
  • DSC
  • QMS
  • modeling and computer simulation of polymeric materials’ property changes

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

3 pages, 142 KB  
Editorial
Polymers and Plastic Waste: Properties, Mechanics, Chemical and Thermal Recycling
by Adam Gnatowski and Agnieszka Kijo-Kleczkowska
Materials 2025, 18(17), 4113; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18174113 - 1 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1228
Abstract
Progress in the production technologies of polymeric materials, including the search for innovative synthesis and production methods of polymers with specific properties, has resulted in an expansion of their application areas [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Plastic Waste: Properties, Mechanics, Chemical and Thermal Recycling)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

15 pages, 2892 KB  
Article
Hot-Pressed Multicomponent Recycled Textile Polymer Blends Reinforced with Ground GFRP from Wind Turbine Blades: Microstructure–Property Relationships
by Maciej Wędrychowicz, Władysław Papacz, Janusz Walkowiak, Jagoda Kurowiak, Bartosz Siwczyk, Tomasz Skrzekut, Piotr Noga and Dominika Skarupska
Materials 2026, 19(7), 1306; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19071306 - 26 Mar 2026
Viewed by 737
Abstract
This study investigates hot-pressed composite plates manufactured from pellets obtained by mechanical recycling of post-consumer textile waste and reinforced with ground glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) originating from wind turbine blades. Composite plates with dimensions of 200 × 330 × 8 mm were produced by [...] Read more.
This study investigates hot-pressed composite plates manufactured from pellets obtained by mechanical recycling of post-consumer textile waste and reinforced with ground glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) originating from wind turbine blades. Composite plates with dimensions of 200 × 330 × 8 mm were produced by hot pressing at 240 °C under 2 MPa with a heating and pressing time of 40 min. The recycled textile-derived polymer blend served as the matrix, while ground GFRP was introduced at 0, 10, 20, and 30 wt.%. Mechanical performance was evaluated using flexural and Charpy impact tests. The composites exhibited flexural strengths in the range of 9–13 MPa and impact strengths of 7.3–8.9 kJ m−2. The results did not reveal a monotonic increase in flexural strength with increasing reinforcement content. The highest average flexural strength was observed for the unreinforced matrix, while the addition of ground GFRP resulted in comparable or slightly lower strength values accompanied by increased scatter at higher reinforcement levels. The observed behaviour may be associated with heterogeneous dispersion of ground GFRP fragments, reduced effective reinforcement length due to mechanical grinding, interfacial constraints, and defect formation within the press-consolidated structure. The findings provide insight into the structure–property relationships of recycled composite systems based on heterogeneous textile-derived polymer blends. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Plastic Waste: Properties, Mechanics, Chemical and Thermal Recycling)
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26 pages, 9795 KB  
Article
Evaluation of Polybutylene Succinate Composites Reinforced with Lignin and Milled Hemp Stalks
by Nnaemeka Ewurum, Courage Alorbu, Lili Cai and Armando G. McDonald
Materials 2026, 19(2), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19020275 - 9 Jan 2026
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 825
Abstract
This study examines the effects of kraft lignin, milled hemp stalks, and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) crosslinking on polybutylene succinate (PBS) composites, focusing on rheological, mechanical, and thermal properties as well as accelerated weathering and fungal performance. Two composite series were produced via twin-screw [...] Read more.
This study examines the effects of kraft lignin, milled hemp stalks, and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) crosslinking on polybutylene succinate (PBS) composites, focusing on rheological, mechanical, and thermal properties as well as accelerated weathering and fungal performance. Two composite series were produced via twin-screw extrusion, (a) simple blends (B-series) and (b) DCP-crosslinked formulations (R-series), with emphasis on hybrid lignin–hemp composites (B-PLH and R-PLH). Rheological analysis showed that hemp fiber increased viscosity, while lignin reduced it, and DCP further enhanced shear-thinning behavior. Mechanical testing confirmed that R-PLH exhibited a 16% increase in flexural strength (42.6 MPa) and a 2.4-fold increase in flexural modulus (1785 MPa) over neat PBS, but tensile strength declined by 19%. Thermal analysis revealed a 14–26% reduction in mass loss rate and increased char formation (up to 16.3% in R-PLH), indicating improved thermal stability. Water absorption showed that hemp fibers increased hydrophilicity, further increased by DCP. Accelerated weathering led to significant color change and surface degradation, particularly in R-PLH. Despite lignocellulosic content, all composites exhibited ≤2% fungal degradation, indicating limited mass loss due to fungal exposure under conditions used in this study. Overall, B-PLH and R-PLH offer a balance of stiffness and thermal stability, though trade-offs in tensile strength and weathering resistance should be considered for sustainable applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Plastic Waste: Properties, Mechanics, Chemical and Thermal Recycling)
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21 pages, 8401 KB  
Article
Computational Study of Stress Distribution in Polyethylene Elements Due to Metal Components of Knee and Hip Implants Made from Different Metal Alloys
by Michał Sobociński and Marcin Nabrdalik
Materials 2025, 18(16), 3924; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18163924 - 21 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1244
Abstract
The complexity of the processes occurring in both natural and artificial joints necessitates carrying out the analysis on a 3D model based on already existing mathematical models. All the presented numerical calculations define qualitative conclusions about the influence of certain parameters of endoprostheses [...] Read more.
The complexity of the processes occurring in both natural and artificial joints necessitates carrying out the analysis on a 3D model based on already existing mathematical models. All the presented numerical calculations define qualitative conclusions about the influence of certain parameters of endoprostheses on the values of stresses and strains arising in polyethylene parts of hip and knee endoprostheses. The obtained results make it possible to reveal “weak points” in the studied models and thus counteract the later effects resulting from premature wear of the endoprosthesis components. The study included a numerical analysis of the stress and strain distribution of polyethylene components of hip and knee endoprostheses working with the most commonly used material associations in this type of solution. The most common are metal alloys and ceramics. The analyses were carried out using ADINA and Autodesk Simulation Mechanical software. Geometric models were designed based on current solutions used by leading endoprosthesis manufacturers. The load models adopted are based on models commonly used in musculoskeletal biomechanics. Particular attention was paid to modeling the resistance due to friction at the hip endoprosthesis node. To build the hip endoprosthesis model, eight-node 3D solid elements were used. Due to the axisymmetric geometry of the model, the resulting discrete model consisted of 10,000 cubic elements described by 10,292 nodes. In the case of the knee endoprosthesis, a finite element mesh was adopted for the calculations, which was built with 3600 3D solid cubic elements and 4312 nodes. The accuracy of the adopted numerical model did not differ from the generally used solutions in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Plastic Waste: Properties, Mechanics, Chemical and Thermal Recycling)
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