Studies in Polymer Degradation
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Macromolecular Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2025 | Viewed by 52
Special Issue Editors
Interests: chemical modification of polymers; additives; chain extenders; biopolymer processing; polymer composites; nanocomposites; blends; natural fibers
Interests: polymers; blends; nanocomposites; membranes; polymer processing and characterization
Interests: organic chemical processes; characterization of polymers; development of new materials; biotechnological products and processes; biodegradation
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The degradation of polymers is an essential field of research that ranges from the conservation of materials to environmental sustainability. Since the first studies on the ageing of plastics and natural polymers in the 20th century, the understanding of the physicochemical mechanisms involved has evolved significantly. Today, challenges such as the durability of materials for advanced applications and the mitigation of plastic pollution are driving new experimental and theoretical approaches. This Special Issue of Molecules aims to bring together recent advances in the field, promoting discussions on the stability, biodegradation, and recycling of polymers.
With this Special Issue of Molecules, we invite the academic community to submit original articles, reviews, and short communications on topics such as degradation mechanisms (thermal, photochemical, chemical, enzymatic, and biological), new analytical methodologies for monitoring degradation and characterizing by-products, the degradation of sustainable polymers, including biopolymers and oxodegradable plastics, environmental impacts and innovative solutions for recycling and upcycling, and computational modelling and simulations to predict the behaviour of degradable polymers. We hope to contribute not only to highlighting the current state of polymer degradation, but to advancing this multidisciplinary field by encouraging innovative solutions to the scientific and technological challenges of polymer degradation.
Dr. Anna Raffaela de Matos Costa
Prof. Dr. Edcleide Maria Araujo
Dr. Bastos Y. M. De Almeida
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. Molecules 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 2700 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
- degradation mechanisms
- photooxidation
- thermal degradation
- upcycling technologies and additivities
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