Recent Advances in Natural Biopolymers
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 1153
Special Issue Editor
Interests: polymer gels; carbohydrate polymers; cellulose nanocrystals; packaging; nanoparticles; sustainable materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Natural biopolymers, such as proteins, polysaccharides, and cellulose, are gaining widespread attention due to their remarkable versatility, biodegradability, and potential to replace synthetic polymers in various applications. With increasing global emphasis on sustainability and environmental consciousness, these biomolecules offer compelling pathways for the development of functional, high-performance, and eco-friendly materials.
This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the design, processing, modification, and application of natural biopolymers, with a focus on proteins (e.g., silk, collagen, zein, and casein), polysaccharides (e.g., chitosan, starch, alginate, and hyaluronic acid), and cellulose (including nanocellulose in its crystalline or fibrillated forms). These materials have found applications in biomedical devices, food packaging, environmental remediation, energy storage, 3D printing, and construction, among others.
In particular, the Special Issue welcomes submissions that explore the following:
- Chemical and physical modifications of natural biopolymers for improving processability, stability, or functional performance.
- Nanostructuring and self-assembly of proteins and polysaccharides for high-value material systems.
- Advanced characterization techniques applied to study structure–property relationships.
- Emerging applications, such as photonic biomaterials, controlled drug delivery, bioelectronics, and bio-based composites.
- Hybrid and composite systems combining natural biopolymers with synthetic polymers, inorganic nanoparticles, or other bio-based materials.
- Life cycle analysis, biodegradation, and the environmental impact of these systems.
- Scalability and commercial prospects of natural, biopolymer-based technologies.
By bringing together contributions from experts in materials science, chemistry, biotechnology, and engineering, this Special Issue will serve as a platform to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and showcase cutting-edge research on biopolymer innovation. We encourage submissions of original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and perspectives that advance the understanding and practical deployment of natural biopolymers in modern materials science.
Dr. Amin Babaei-Ghazvini
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-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
- natural biopolymers
- cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs)
- polysaccharides
- proteins and protein-based materials
- chitosan and lignin
- bio-based composites
- biodegradable materials
- sustainable polymer science
- functional biopolymers
- green chemistry
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
