End-of-Life Strategies for Bio-Based Monomers and Polymers: From Green Chemistry to Circular Economy

Dear Colleagues,

Polymers and polymer–matrix composites have become essential materials in modern technology owing to their exceptional physicochemical properties, scalable and cost-effective synthesis, and widespread utility across industrial and consumer sectors. Although advantageous in daily and engineering applications, their widespread use, short linear lifecycle, and potential to release toxic compounds pose profound risks to both ecological stability and human health. Consequently, the global market has witnessed a substantial increase in the demand for eco-friendly products. This paradigm shift is strongly reinforced by a legislative landscape that dictates comprehensive Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards. Instruments such as the EU Ecodesign Directive underscore the importance of sustainable development by improving energy efficiency and resource use and reducing environmental impact throughout a product’s lifecycle. Driven by global sustainability targets, both academia and industry are focusing on biopolymers, copolymers, blends, and composites as thermally and mechanically robust alternatives to traditional petrochemical plastics. In this regard, this Special Issue aims to showcase high-quality research papers and reviews highlighting innovations in sustainable polymeric materials. We welcome research that addresses the synthesis and polymerisation of eco-friendly monomers, the development of advanced bio-based and mass-balanced polymer systems, and the practical applications and lifecycle management of biopolymers and composites. Submissions on related themes are also encouraged.

Dr. Izabela Irska
Dr. Sandra Paszkiewicz
Dr. Adam Olszewski
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. Polymers 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.

Dr. Izabela Irska
Dr. Sandra Paszkiewicz
Dr. Adam Olszewski
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. Polymers 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.