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Advanced Polymeric Composite for Drug Delivery Application

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 1221

Special Issue Editor

NextGen Healthcare Materials Lab, School of Life Science, Handong Global University, Pohang 37554, Republic of Korea
Interests: drug delivery; crossing the blood-brain barrier; neurodegenerative diseases; carbon quantum dots; polymer; polymer nanoparticles; upconversion nanoparticles; counterion condensation of polyelectrolytes; gold/silver nanoparticles; bioimaging/advanced fluorescence microscopy; surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This special issue will showcase cutting-edge research and progress in polymer composites in biomedicine and drug delivery systems. So far, the development of polymers in drug delivery systems has made great progress. However, there is still a lot of room for improvement. In order to achieve efficient drug delivery, it is necessary to research and develop new polymer materials with high performance. This special issue will focus on new synthesis methods, innovative characterization techniques and practical applications of these composites in drug delivery systems, including natural polymers, synthetic polymers, biodegradable and bioabsorbable polymers, biocompatible, biomimetic polymers and bio-related polymers. This special issue will comprehensively outline the practical applications of multifunctional polymer composites in drug delivery systems and discuss future development directions. Colleagues are welcome to submit relevant original research articles and review articles.

Dr. Ranjit De
Guest Editor

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. 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

  • polymer
  • composite
  • characterization
  • application
  • drug delivery
  • biomedicine

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

37 pages, 5147 KiB  
Review
Next-Generation Wound Healing Materials: Role of Biopolymers and Their Composites
by Jonghyuk Park and Ranjit De
Polymers 2025, 17(16), 2244; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17162244 - 19 Aug 2025
Viewed by 459
Abstract
The progress in biopolymers and their composites as advanced materials for wound healing has revolutionized therapeutic approaches for skin regeneration. These materials can effectively integrate their inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability with the enhanced mechanical strength and customizable properties of polymers and functional additives. [...] Read more.
The progress in biopolymers and their composites as advanced materials for wound healing has revolutionized therapeutic approaches for skin regeneration. These materials can effectively integrate their inherent biocompatibility and biodegradability with the enhanced mechanical strength and customizable properties of polymers and functional additives. This review presents a detailed investigation of the design principles, classifications, and biomedical applications of biopolymeric composites, focusing on their capabilities to promote angiogenesis, exhibit antimicrobial activities, and facilitate controlled drug delivery. By overcoming the challenges of conventional wound dressings, such as inadequate exudate management, mechanical fragility, and cytotoxicity, these composites provide dynamic, stimuli-responsive platforms that can adapt to the wound microenvironment. This study further highlights innovative advances in nanoparticle-assisted reinforcement, fiber-based scaffolds, and multi-stimuli responsive smart delivery systems. Finally, the future perspective illustrates how the challenges related to long-term physiological stability, scalable manufacturing, and clinical implementation can be addressed. Overall, this article delivers a comprehensive framework for understanding the transformative impact of biopolymeric composites in next-generation wound care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Composite for Drug Delivery Application)
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Graphical abstract

43 pages, 71331 KiB  
Review
Polymeric and Polymer-Functionalized Drug Delivery Vectors: From Molecular Architecture and Elasticity to Cellular Uptake
by Thorsten Auth
Polymers 2025, 17(16), 2243; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17162243 - 19 Aug 2025
Viewed by 260
Abstract
Polymers and polymer composites offer versatile possibilities for engineering the physico-chemical properties of materials on micro- and macroscopic scales. This review provides an overview of polymeric and polymer-decorated particles that can serve as drug-delivery vectors: linear polymers, star polymers, diblock-copolymer micelles, polymer-grafted nanoparticles, [...] Read more.
Polymers and polymer composites offer versatile possibilities for engineering the physico-chemical properties of materials on micro- and macroscopic scales. This review provides an overview of polymeric and polymer-decorated particles that can serve as drug-delivery vectors: linear polymers, star polymers, diblock-copolymer micelles, polymer-grafted nanoparticles, polymersomes, stealth liposomes, microgels, and biomolecular condensates. The physico-chemical interactions between the delivery vectors and biological cells range from chemical interactions on the molecular scale to deformation energies on the particle scale. The focus of this review is on the structure and elastic properties of these particles, as well as their circulation in blood and cellular uptake. Furthermore, the effects of polymer decoration in vivo (e.g., of glycosylated plasma membranes, cortical cytoskeletal networks, and naturally occurring condensates) on drug delivery are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymeric Composite for Drug Delivery Application)
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