materials-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Advances in Functional Polymers and Materials: Design, Synthesis, and Application

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 2066

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Polyaddition and Photochemistry, “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania
Interests: thermoplastic polymers, blends, and (micro-/nano-)composites; thermoplastic composites based on recovered and re-/upcycled waste; biopolymers and biocomposites; phenomena occurring at the interface; formation and characteristics of the interphase

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Polyaddition and Photochemistry, “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Romanian Academy, 700487 Iasi, Romania
Interests: polysaccharides; hydrogels; nanocomposites; polyacrylates
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Functional polymers and materials have found numerous applications in practical areas of greatest interest, including biomedical applications, optoelectronics, sensing and actuating, energy transport and storage, highly selective catalysis, antifouling, and so on, to list just a few with the highest rates of development. Given their structure by design (nature and length of the macromolecular chain; type, number, and location of functional groups) and synthesis (classic polymerization reactions; living radical polymerization, “click” chemistry reactions, coupling reactions, hydrothermal, solvothermal, and sonochemical methods), the functional polymers achieved properties that make them desirable in many domains as materials of interest. Their ability to form supramolecular structures, by themselves or with other polymers, to perform synergistically in polymer blends and composite formulations, at micro- and nanometric scales, or even act as macromolecular ligands in metal complexes, represents a remarkable advantage when it comes to designing materials for specific applications.

This Special Issue aims to bring together valuable contributions from both academia and industry R&D, thus providing an extended coverage of the subject. Original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and short communications are welcome, and contributions regarding toxicity and environmental issues, scalability and technological transfer, cost-effectiveness, and affordability are encouraged as well. Combined insights on the design, production, advanced and in-depth characterization, and applications will provide a comprehensive resource that can be of interest for training highly specialized researchers and industry professionals but which may also contribute to directing research towards objectives of great societal interest.

Topics include, but are not limited to, synthetic functional polymers; biopolymers; synthesis and characterization; functional polymer materials (blends, (nano)composites, complexes); functional polymers, such as (nano)particles, micelles, films, and gels; applications.

Dr. Fulga Tanasă
Dr. Ioana A. Duceac
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-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

  • functional polymers
  • biopolymers
  • photoactive/conductive/sensitive polymer
  • block copolymers
  • polymer reactions
  • polymer modification
  • (nano)particles
  • micelles
  • films and coatings
  • gels
  • blends and (nano)composites
  • sensors and actuators
  • energy storage
  • optoelectronics
  • biomedical applications
  • food packaging
  • environmental applications

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

29 pages, 7625 KB  
Article
The Effect of the Extraction Medium (A Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent-Derived System vs. Ethanol) on the Properties of Electrospun PVA Fibers Containing Quercus robur Extracts
by Julia Wnękowicz, Daniel Szopa, Paulina Wróbel, Julia Zwolińska, Maciej Kaniewski, Jacek Chęcmanowski and Anna Witek-Krowiak
Materials 2026, 19(9), 1730; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19091730 - 24 Apr 2026
Viewed by 193
Abstract
This study examined how the extraction medium used to obtain Quercus robur extracts influenced the properties of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) mats intended for potential active packaging applications. Extracts prepared with 50% ethanol and with a choline chloride:lactic acid:water system were incorporated into [...] Read more.
This study examined how the extraction medium used to obtain Quercus robur extracts influenced the properties of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) mats intended for potential active packaging applications. Extracts prepared with 50% ethanol and with a choline chloride:lactic acid:water system were incorporated into PVA spinning solutions, and their effects on solution properties, fiber morphology, thermal behavior, crosslinking response, and polyphenol release were evaluated. The type of extraction medium affected both the electrospinning process and the structure of the resulting materials. Ethanol-derived extracts reduced solution viscosity and promoted the formation of thinner fibers, whereas systems containing the choline chloride:lactic acid:water-derived extract showed higher conductivity and lower electrospinning stability. Crosslinking with tannic acid in water led to the collapse of the fibrous structure, while ethanolic tannic acid treatment preserved the nanofibrous morphology more effectively. FTIR analysis indicated differences in intermolecular interactions within the polymer matrix, consistent with the observed changes in structural stability and release behavior. Thermal analysis showed that ethanol-derived extracts lowered the thermal stability of the PVA matrix, whereas the choline chloride:lactic acid:water-derived system altered the degradation pathway and increased the amount of solid residue formed during heating. Release studies demonstrated a rapid burst release for ethanol-based mats and a more sustained release profile for mats containing the choline chloride:lactic acid:water-derived extract. Selected extract-containing and ethanol–tannic acid-crosslinked mats also showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that the extraction medium significantly affected polymer–extract interactions and the functional properties of electrospun PVA mats. At the same time, the conclusions refer specifically to the tested solvent systems, and broader generalization to other natural deep eutectic solvent-type formulations requires further comparative studies. Full article
19 pages, 6326 KB  
Article
Ecofriendly Flame-Retardant Polystyrene Composites: Exploiting the Synergistic Effects of Phytic Acid, Polyethyleneimine, and Expandable Graphite
by Zhunzhun Li, Qimei Zhang, Jian Cui and Yehai Yan
Materials 2025, 18(18), 4308; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18184308 - 14 Sep 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1378
Abstract
Ecofriendly flame-retardant polystyrene (PS) composites were developed using the synergistic effects of phytic acid (PA), polyethyleneimine (PEI), and expandable graphite (EG). PA was chemically hybridized with PEI, and the hybrid (PAE) was incorporated into PS together with EG. The flame-retardant performances of the [...] Read more.
Ecofriendly flame-retardant polystyrene (PS) composites were developed using the synergistic effects of phytic acid (PA), polyethyleneimine (PEI), and expandable graphite (EG). PA was chemically hybridized with PEI, and the hybrid (PAE) was incorporated into PS together with EG. The flame-retardant performances of the resulting composites were evaluated using the limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 vertical burning test, and cone calorimetry test. The strong interaction between EG and PAE provided an effective barrier against heat and oxygen, thereby improving the flame retardancy. The best-performing composite (PA:PEI:EG = 1:1:1 (w/w/w), total flame-retardant loading = 10 parts per 100 parts of PS) exhibited an LOI of 27.7% and a UL-94 V-0 rating. The peak heat release rate (148.8 kW/m2) and total heat release (91.2 MJ/m2) of this composite were lower than those of pure PS by 79.2% and 34.0%, respectively. This study provides guidelines for the production of flame-retardant PS and other polymeric materials. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop