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Advanced Polymer-Based Packaging Materials: Integrating Sustainability, Functionality, and Circular Economy

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 838

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Packaging & Logistics, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
Interests: sustainable packaging; biopolymer composites; active packaging; functional nanomaterials; phenolic compounds; nanocomposites; hydrogels; waste valorization; carbon quantum dots; food packaging; circular economy

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Guest Editor
Department of Packaging & Logistics, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
Interests: polymers; nanotechnology; nano-enabled packaging; bio-based materials; nanocomposites; active packaging; edible films; coatings; food safety; sustainability

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Guest Editor
Department of Packaging and Materials Technology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand
Interests: nano-enabled packaging materials; cellulose-based packaging materials; pharmaceutical packaging; personal care packaging; active packaging; smart packaging; eco-friendly packaging

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer-based packaging materials are at the forefront of technological transformation, driven by the imperatives of sustainability, circular bioeconomy, and environmental stewardship. This Special Issue invites research and review articles addressing the design, synthesis, modification, and application of polymeric systems engineered for advanced packaging. Topics of interest include the development of renewable and biodegradable polymers, functional nanocomposites, and hybrid systems with improved mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties. Studies exploring polymer–additive interactions, stimuli-responsive and self-healing behaviors, active and intelligent mechanisms for food preservation, and advanced coating or lamination technologies are particularly encouraged. Furthermore, research integrating life cycle assessment, recycling strategies, and circularity-driven innovations to reduce plastic waste is welcomed. This Special Issue aims to provide an interdisciplinary platform bridging polymer chemistry, materials science, environmental engineering, and food technology, fostering a holistic understanding of the evolving landscape of sustainable packaging materials.

Dr. Ajit Kumar Singh
Prof. Dr. Seonghyuk Ko
Dr. Nattinee Bumbudsanpharoke
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

  • polymer-based packaging
  • bio-based polymers
  • nanocomposites
  • smart materials
  • active packaging
  • intelligent packaging
  • coatings
  • food packaging
  • circular economy
  • sustainability

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

22 pages, 11564 KB  
Article
TEMPO-Oxidized Nanocellulose In Situ-Immobilized AgNPs-Modified Chitin-Based Composite Sponge for Synergistic Antibacterial Fruit Preservation
by Zijun Zhang, Qi Zhang, Qimeng Jiang and Hao Ma
Polymers 2026, 18(3), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18030327 - 26 Jan 2026
Viewed by 543
Abstract
Sponge-based preservative packaging is an emerging approach to mitigate mechanical damage to fruits and vegetables during transportation, storage, and retail. However, conventional polyurethane sponges generally lack durable antibacterial activity and are neither biodegradable nor readily recyclable. Herein, to address these limitations, silver nanoparticles [...] Read more.
Sponge-based preservative packaging is an emerging approach to mitigate mechanical damage to fruits and vegetables during transportation, storage, and retail. However, conventional polyurethane sponges generally lack durable antibacterial activity and are neither biodegradable nor readily recyclable. Herein, to address these limitations, silver nanoparticles immobilized on TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TCNF@AgNPs) were incorporated into a quaternized chitin matrix to construct a synergistic antibacterial composite sponge (QCH/TCNF@AgNPs) for fruit preservation. The composite sponge exhibited strong antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, together with a low cumulative release of silver species of 2.49% after 336 h. In addition, the sponge showed >50% mass loss after 36 days in lysozyme solution, indicating good enzymatic degradability. Cytocompatibility assays further confirmed favorable biocompatibility and biosafety. Notably, the composite sponge provided satisfactory preservation performance for fresh strawberries. Overall, this work demonstrates the potential of QCH/TCNF@AgNPs as a biodegradable antibacterial packaging sponge for fruit preservation. Full article
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