Design and Performance of Compostable Polymeric Packaging Materials
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 235
Special Issue Editors
Interests: biodegradable polymers; thermoplastic starch; packaging; nano/micro polymer composites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Polymeric materials dominate the food packaging sector due to their versatility, low cost, light weight, and ease of processing. However, concerns related to plastic waste accumulation, fossil-based feedstocks, and limited end-of-life options have driven growing interest in compostable polymeric packaging solutions as part of a circular economy approach. This Special Issue focuses on the design and performance of compostable polymeric packaging materials, emphasizing the relationships between material structure, processing, functional properties, and end-of-life behavior. A central challenge is achieving the balance between mechanical, thermal, and barrier performance required during use and reliable compostability under industrial and home composting conditions.
Contributions addressing multicomponent systems, including polymer blends, composites, and formulations containing additives or fillers, are encouraged, particularly those linking material design to performance and degradation behavior. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:
- Design and development of compostable polymeric materials for packaging applications.
- Structure–property–compostability relationships in biodegradable and compostable polymers.
- Polymer blends, composites, and multilayer systems for compostable packaging.
- Processing techniques for compostable packaging materials (e.g., extrusion, film blowing, injection molding).
- Mechanical, thermal, barrier, and functional performance of compostable packaging materials.
- Active and intelligent compostable packaging systems.
- Evaluation of biodegradation and compostability under industrial, home, and environmental conditions.
- Influence of additives, fillers, and reinforcements on performance and compostability.
- Sustainability aspects and life cycle considerations of compostable polymeric packaging.
This Special Issue welcomes original research articles and review papers that contribute to the understanding and advancement of compostable polymeric materials for packaging applications, bridging the gap between material design, performance requirements, and sustainable end-of-life solutions.
Dr. Vesna Ocelić Bulatović
Dr. Elvira Vidović
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
- compostable polymeric materials
- sustainable packaging
- polymer blends and composites
- structure–property–degradation relationships
- packaging performance and barrier properties
- biodegradation and compostability assessment
- product life cycle
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