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Recycling and Resource Utilization of Waste Polymers

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 4

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Composite Materials and Engineering Center, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
Interests: bio-based polymers; sustainable and circular 3D printing; chemical recycling of polymers and polymer composites; covalent adaptable networks
Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
Interests: bio-based polymers and composites; chemical recycling of polymer waste; design of recyclable functional polymers; vitrimer materials for dynamic recycling

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Composite Materials and Engineering Center, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
Interests: chemical recycling of plastics; biobased polymer; aminolysis; thermosetting polymers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing consumption of polymer-based materials has led to a surge in plastic waste, posing significant environmental and economic challenges. Effective recycling and resource utilization of waste polymers are critical for promoting sustainability and reducing dependence on virgin raw materials. This Special Issue aims to showcase the latest advancements in polymer recycling technologies, innovative material recovery strategies, and the development of value-added products from recycled polymers. We welcome original research and review articles covering mechanical, thermal, chemical, and biological recycling methods, upcycling approaches, polymer composite reprocessing, and the environmental impact assessment of recycling practices. Contributions focusing on novel catalysts, advanced separation techniques, and circular economy models for polymer waste management are also encouraged. This Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive platform for advancing waste polymer utilization and fostering sustainable material innovation by bringing together interdisciplinary research and industrial perspectives.

Dr. Baoming Zhao
Dr. Cheng Hao
Dr. Lin Shao
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind 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

  • polymer recycling
  • waste polymers
  • sustainability
  • circular economy
  • resource recovery
  • upcycling
  • mechanical recycling
  • chemical recycling
  • biodegradable polymers
  • environmental impact

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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