Cascading Use of Wood Waste and Agricultural Residues for Developing Eco-Friendly Biocomposite Materials

Dear Colleagues,

Growing environmental awareness, the increasing depletion of natural resources, and the implementation of stricter environmental regulations have accelerated the search for sustainable materials derived from renewable and secondary resources. At the same time, the transition from a linear to a circular economy has created strong interest in the efficient valorization of industrial by-products, agricultural residues, and wood waste streams. In this context, the cascading use of biomass has emerged as a key strategy for maximizing resource efficiency, extending material life cycles, and reducing environmental burdens associated with conventional material production.

Wood waste and agricultural residues represent abundant and underutilized lignocellulosic feedstocks with considerable potential for the development of eco-friendly biocomposite materials. Their conversion into value-added products can contribute to waste minimization, reduced dependence on virgin raw materials, and the advancement of sustainable manufacturing systems. The integration of these residues into innovative composite formulations also opens new opportunities for improving material performance, functionality, recyclability, and biodegradability, while supporting the principles of the circular bioeconomy.

This Special Issue, titled “Cascading Use of Wood Waste and Agricultural Residues for Developing Eco-Friendly Biocomposite Materials”, will collect high-quality original research articles and review papers focused on the sustainable utilization of lignocellulosic residues for advanced material applications. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the cascading use and valorization of wood waste and agricultural residues; the development of bio-based and hybrid biocomposites; innovative processing and manufacturing technologies; recycling and reuse of lignocellulosic composite materials; biodegradable and recyclable composite systems; bio-based wood adhesives; the use of natural fibers, particles, and fillers in polymer matrices; compatibilization and interfacial enhancement; performance characterization and durability; life cycle assessment and environmental performance; and multifunctional, high-value applications of sustainable biocomposite materials.

We encourage researchers and experts from academia and industry to contribute original research and review articles addressing the latest scientific and technological advances in this rapidly developing field.

Prof. Dr. Petar Antov
Dr. Ľuboš Krišťák
Prof. Dr. Eugenia Mariana Tudor
Dr. Luigi Todaro
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.