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Polymers
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Biopolymers and Bio-Based Polymer Composites, 2nd Edition
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Biopolymers and Bio-Based Polymer Composites, 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2026) | Viewed by 2635

Editor

Prof. Dr. Iwona Zarzyka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszów University of Technology, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
Interests: polymer compositions; polymer nanocomposites; biopolymers; structure–property relationship
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is devoted to one of the most popular fields of material science. Nowadays, biopolymers and biopolymer composites are considered to be a group of environmentally friendly materials with properties that are comparable to those of classic polymers. Due to society's growing sense of care for the natural environment, the use of biopolymers is currently one of the best available solutions to further reduce the environmental pollution caused by commonly used plastics. Biopolymers and biopolymer composites have found applications in the fields of medicine and pharmacology, as well as the packaging industry. They are often the subject of research related to the modification of properties and have a wide range of applications. 

This Special Issue focuses on biopolymers and biopolymer composite materials for different applications and aims to demonstrate researchers’ ability to design and manufacture biopolymer and biopolymer-based composites to address the challenges posed by the application of classical polymers.

Prof. Dr. Iwona Zarzyka
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 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.

Keywords

  • biopolymers
  • biodegradable polymers
  • biosynthesized polymers
  • biopolymer composites
  • nanobiocomposites
  • bionanoadditives
  • bioadditives
  • natural aliphatic polyesters
  • polylactide

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 3877 KB  
Article
Organosolv Lignin-Based Biopolyols Obtained via Oxyalkylation with Propylene Carbonate as Precursors of Rigid Polyurethane Foams
by Jacek Lubczak and Marzena Szpiłyk
Polymers 2026, 18(13), 1633; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18131633 - 30 Jun 2026
Viewed by 156
Abstract
The study presents the results of research on the preparation of biopolyols based on organosolv lignin and their application in the synthesis of rigid polyurethane foams. The research was conducted in order to develop a sustainable alternative to the previously used ethylene carbonate [...] Read more.
The study presents the results of research on the preparation of biopolyols based on organosolv lignin and their application in the synthesis of rigid polyurethane foams. The research was conducted in order to develop a sustainable alternative to the previously used ethylene carbonate in lignin oxyalkylation processes. The main objective was to replace the previously used ethylene carbonate with propylene carbonate in a stoichiometrically equivalent molar amount in order to reduce polyol viscosity and improve the performance properties of the resulting foams. The syntheses were carried out without the need for isolation and purification of intermediate products. Polyols analogous to those described previously were obtained and subsequently used for the preparation of rigid polyurethane foams employing polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate. The properties of the obtained foams were investigated and compared with those of foams prepared from ethylene carbonate-based polyols. The results demonstrated that the use of propylene carbonate leads to the formation of lower-viscosity polyols, facilitating homogenization of the reaction systems and enabling the production of foams with advantageous performance characteristics, generally superior to those of foams based on ethylene carbonate. The obtained materials constitute a promising alternative to conventional polyurethane foams derived from petrochemical raw materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Bio-Based Polymer Composites, 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 2296 KB  
Article
A Biodegradable Bamboo-Based Foam as a Cleaner Alternative to Petroleum-Based Cushioning Materials for Sustainable Fruit Packaging
by Ziyi Wang, Minxi Guo, Yangfan Mu, Weili Zhang, Ruomei Wu, Zhiyong Lei and Haiyun Jiang
Polymers 2026, 18(5), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18050545 - 24 Feb 2026
Viewed by 995
Abstract
The proliferation of single-use petroleum-based foams in protective packaging has become a major source of persistent plastic waste, posing significant challenges to environmental sustainability. To address this issue, we developed a fully biodegradable cushioning foam from bamboo, a rapidly renewable biomass, using an [...] Read more.
The proliferation of single-use petroleum-based foams in protective packaging has become a major source of persistent plastic waste, posing significant challenges to environmental sustainability. To address this issue, we developed a fully biodegradable cushioning foam from bamboo, a rapidly renewable biomass, using an environmentally benign deep eutectic solvent (DES) process that avoids harsh chemical bleaching. The resulting lignin-containing cellulose nanofibril (LCNF)/sodium alginate (SA) foam exhibits low density (0.23 g/cm3), high compressive strength (0.24 MPa at 70% strain), and excellent elasticity (90% recovery at 50% strain), enabled by a dual-network structure of Ca2+-crosslinked SA and entangled LCNFs. Critically, the material is fully compostable and leaves no microplastic residues, offering a circular end-of-life pathway. In real-world banana drop tests, it matched the performance of commercial expanded polyethylene (EPE) while outperforming polyethylene bubble wrap. This work demonstrates a practical, scalable route to replace fossil-derived cushioning materials with a bio-based alternative that aligns with the principles of cleaner production and circular economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Bio-Based Polymer Composites, 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 3970 KB  
Article
Study of the Influence of Melamine and Expanded Graphite on Selected Properties of Polyurethane Foams Based on Uracil Derivatives
by Elżbieta Chmiel-Szukiewicz and Joanna Paciorek-Sadowska
Polymers 2025, 17(19), 2610; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17192610 - 26 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 862
Abstract
Polyurethane foams containing heterocyclic rings are characterized by high thermal resistance, but unfortunately, they are flammable. This work examined the effect of halogen-free flame retardants such as melamine and expanded graphite: EG 096 and EG 290 on the properties of foams with a [...] Read more.
Polyurethane foams containing heterocyclic rings are characterized by high thermal resistance, but unfortunately, they are flammable. This work examined the effect of halogen-free flame retardants such as melamine and expanded graphite: EG 096 and EG 290 on the properties of foams with a 1,3-pyrimidine ring. Oligoetherol obtained from 6-aminouracil, ethylene carbonate, and propylene oxide was foamed with polymeric diphenylmethane 4,4′-diisocyanate with the addition of flame retardants. The oxygen index was determined, and flammability tests were conducted on the resulting foams. Their apparent density, water absorption, thermal resistance, thermal conductivity coefficient, and compressive strength were also examined. Both melamine and expanded graphite significantly reduce the flammability of foams. The resulting foams are classified as V-0 flammability class, and their oxygen index is in the range of 24.9–29.5 vol.%. Expanded graphite is a better flame retardant and does not cause deterioration of other foam properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers and Bio-Based Polymer Composites, 2nd Edition)
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