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Polymers
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Extraction and Resource Utilization of Biomass Waste for Derived Polymers
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Extraction and Resource Utilization of Biomass Waste for Derived Polymers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 3418

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ria Aniza

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
Interests: renewable energy; lignocellulosic and algal biomass; bio-waste valorization; wood engineering; air toxicology
Prof. Dr. Anélie Pétrissans

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
Interests: wood modification; wood heat treatment; biomass fuels; material science; forest products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The extraction and utilization of biomass waste offer a sustainable pathway for converting agricultural, forestry, aquatic, and industrial byproducts into value-added polymers with diverse technological applications. This strategy focuses on recovering naturally occurring macromolecules, including polysaccharides (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, and pectin), chitin and its derivative chitosan, and structural proteins such as collagen, gelatin, and keratin. In addition, bio-based polymers derived from renewable feedstocks, such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA/PHB), further expand the potential of biomass-derived materials. These polymers can be sourced from crop residues, food processing streams, and animal byproducts that are often discarded, thereby promoting waste reduction, circular resource use, and the replacement of fossil-based inputs. Beyond their environmental benefits, biomass-derived materials foster innovation in fields ranging from biodegradable plastics and renewable energy technologies to advanced biomedical and functional applications. Biomass valorization therefore presents both ecological and economic opportunities for advancing sustainable material science.

We warmly invite researchers, scholars, and practitioners to submit their original contributions to this Special Issue on “Extraction and Resource Utilization of Biomass Waste for Derived Polymers.” We particularly welcome manuscripts presenting novel insights, innovative methodologies, or practical applications in this field. Your contributions will help advance knowledge, stimulate meaningful discussion, and shape future research directions in this important area. We look forward to your submissions and to collaborating with the global research community to make this Special Issue a valuable resource for the field.

Dr. Ria Aniza
Prof. Dr. Anélie Pétrissans
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. 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.

Keywords

  • biomass waste valorization
  • bio-based polymers
  • polysaccharides (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, pectin)
  • chitin and chitosan
  • protein-based biopolymers (collagen, gelatin, keratin)
  • polylactic acid (PLA) and Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA/PHB)
  • biodegradable plastics
  • circular economy
  • sustainable material science
  • advanced biomaterials

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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23 pages, 1699 KB  
Article
Immobilization and Controlled-Release Studies of Bovine Serum Albumin Using Empty Fruit Bunch Date Palm-Based Hydrogel Synthesized via Microwave Radiation
by Yousef M. Alanazi, Abdullah Al Ragib, Mohamed Aboughaly, Chun-Yang Yin and Mohanad El-Harbawi
Polymers 2026, 18(7), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18070852 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 472
Abstract
The synthesis of sustainable and promising biomaterials for biomedical applications has recently gained increasing importance. In this study, a hybrid hydrogel was synthesized from empty palm date bunches through the blending of natural (carboxymethyl cellulose) and synthetic polymers (polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone) using both [...] Read more.
The synthesis of sustainable and promising biomaterials for biomedical applications has recently gained increasing importance. In this study, a hybrid hydrogel was synthesized from empty palm date bunches through the blending of natural (carboxymethyl cellulose) and synthetic polymers (polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinylpyrrolidone) using both traditional and microwave-assisted methods. The aim was to investigate the ability of the hydrogel to immobilize and control the release of bovine serum albumin (BSA), a model protein widely used in pharmaceutical biotechnology. The effect of key parameters such as pH, temperature and hydrogel dosage on protein immobilization was investigated. Optimal results were observed at a pH of 7.4, a temperature of 37 °C and a dosage of 2 g/L—such conditions are very close to the human physiological environment. Kinetic and isotherm models indicated that the immobilization process adhered to pseudo-second-order kinetics and was well-fitted to the Langmuir isotherm. This implied a monolayer adsorption mechanism on a comparatively homogeneous surface. The release studies demonstrated a time-dependent and diffusion-controlled trend, with BSA attaining equilibrium release at 150 min. Overall, the results underline the potential of the microwave-synthesized plant-based hydrogel as a promising material for controlled drug delivery and other biomedical applications due to its efficiency and sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extraction and Resource Utilization of Biomass Waste for Derived Polymers)
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18 pages, 1868 KB  
Article
Techno-Economic and Statistical Assessment of Agricultural Flours for Bacterial Cellulose Production by Komagataeibacter xylinus
by Dheanda Absharina, Csilla Veres, Sándor Kocsubé and Csaba Vágvölgyi
Polymers 2026, 18(6), 721; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18060721 - 16 Mar 2026
Viewed by 448
Abstract
Nitrogen supplements such as yeast extract and peptone/tryptone are the main cost drivers in bacterial cellulose (BC) fermentation. This study evaluated fourteen cereal, pseudo-cereal and legume flours as media substitutes for Komagataeibacter xylinus DSMZ 2325 using two strategies: (i) constant total nitrogen (CTN; [...] Read more.
Nitrogen supplements such as yeast extract and peptone/tryptone are the main cost drivers in bacterial cellulose (BC) fermentation. This study evaluated fourteen cereal, pseudo-cereal and legume flours as media substitutes for Komagataeibacter xylinus DSMZ 2325 using two strategies: (i) constant total nitrogen (CTN; 0.6 g·L−1) and (ii) constant nitrogen-source mass (CNSM; 5.0 g·L−1). BC yield (dry g·L−1) was determined under static cultivation and analyzed by ANOVA, correlation statistics and techno-economic assessment. Flour type and substitution level significantly influenced BC production (p < 0.05). CTN substitution enhanced production, with the highest peak yields obtained for W-BC, C-BC, M-BC and SP-BC (6.68–8.97 g·L−1). CNSM substitution limited production, with O-BC and T-BC performing best (4.24–5.14 g·L−1). Techno-economic analysis further showed that the CTN regime substantially improved cost efficiency and reduced BC unit production cost, with the maximum reduction observed for TR-BC at 75% substitution (from 0.27 to 0.08 €/g; 70.37%) relative to the corresponding CTN HS control. Under the CNSM regime, the maximum reduction was observed for BY-BC at 50% substitution (from 0.25 to 0.07 €/g; 72.00%) relative to the corresponding CNSM HS control. These findings demonstrate that graded nitrogen substitution is an effective strategy for economically sustainable and scalable BC production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extraction and Resource Utilization of Biomass Waste for Derived Polymers)
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22 pages, 5486 KB  
Article
UV-Crosslinking Effects on the Physicochemical and Rheological Properties of Fish Collagen Ink for 3D Bioprinting
by Zahra Rajabimashhadi, Nunzia Gallo, Francesca Russo, Luca Salvatore, Sonia Bagheri, Claudio Mele, Alessandro Sannino, Carola Esposito Corcione and Francesca Lionetto
Polymers 2026, 18(4), 452; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18040452 - 10 Feb 2026
Viewed by 601
Abstract
Three-dimensional bioprinting revolutionized tissue and organ replacement by enabling the precise deposition of living cells and biomaterials, making it ideal for biomedical applications. Natural polymers are commonly used as bioink for their biocompatibility and bioactivity. Among them, type I collagen, the most abundant [...] Read more.
Three-dimensional bioprinting revolutionized tissue and organ replacement by enabling the precise deposition of living cells and biomaterials, making it ideal for biomedical applications. Natural polymers are commonly used as bioink for their biocompatibility and bioactivity. Among them, type I collagen, the most abundant protein of extracellular matrix, is commonly used as bioink. However, mammalian-derived collagens raise concerns related to zoonotic disease transmission, religious restrictions, and immunogenicity. Fish-derived collagen represents a safer and more sustainable alternative, although its rapid degradation and limited mechanical properties remain significant challenges. In this study, the printability of a novel fish collagen ink was assessed for micropatterned scaffolding by extrusion. In order to overcome material-related challenges, the effect of UV-induced crosslinking was investigated. Morphological, rheological, and physicochemical characterizations—including thermal behavior, degradation resistance, exposed chemical groups, and roughness—were performed before and after UV treatment. Results demonstrated that UV crosslinking significantly improved the structural integrity and stability of the printed scaffolds. These findings support the potential of UV-crosslinked fish collagen as biomaterial ink for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Extraction and Resource Utilization of Biomass Waste for Derived Polymers)
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