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Polymers
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Life Cycle and Utilization of Lignocellulosic Materials
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Life Cycle and Utilization of Lignocellulosic Materials

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Circular and Green Sustainable Polymer Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 2232

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. František Kačík

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 24, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia
Interests: wood chemistry; thermal modification; analytical wood chemistry; cellulose; hemicelluloses; lignin; size exclusion chromatography; high-performance liquid chromatography; fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy
Dr. Tereza Jurczyková

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Suchdol, Czech Republic
Interests: wood chemistry; chemical processing of wood; cellulose; fiber composites; pulp and papermaking; nanomaterials; adhesives and coatings; material degradation; chromophores; wood protection and conservation; wood waste utilization; instrumental analyses

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on the “Life Cycle and Utilization of Lignocellulosic Materials” is devoted to disseminating high-quality original research articles or comprehensive reviews in this interdisciplinary field.

The life cycle of lignocellulosic materials—containing three basic natural polymers: cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin—highlights their potential as abundant renewable resources, particularly in the context of sustainable energy, material production, and carbon sequestration. It refers to the stages that these plant-based materials go through, from their growth in nature to their processing, use, and eventual disposal or recycling. Utilizing lignocellulosic materials is a key area of innovation with the potential to provide alternatives to petroleum-based products, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimize waste, reduce carbon footprints, and promote circular economies. While there are challenges to overcome in terms of processing and cost, ongoing research and technological advancements hold promise for expanding the scope of lignocellulose applications in the industrial, environmental, and energy sectors.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Growth and harvesting (deciduous and coniferous trees, plant-based biomaterials for fiber, starch, sugar, cellulose or oil production, etc.);
  • Pretreatment and conversion (enzyme optimization, biofuels, bio-based chemicals, etc.);
  • Development, features, and uses (wood-based construction materials, pulp and paper, lignin-based materials, bioplastics, adhesives, biocomposites, textile, medicine, animal feed, soil amendments, );
  • End of life processing (the degradation, recycling, and reuse of lignocellulosic materials, including energy recovery).

Authors are welcome to submit their latest research findings on related topics focused on biopolymers. We look forward to our future collaboration.

Prof. Dr. František Kačík
Guest Editor

Dr. Tereza Jurczyková
Guest Editor Assistant

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

  • biopolymers
  • cellulose
  • hemicelluloses
  • lignin
  • renewable resources
  • wood processing and modification
  • wood degradation and protection
  • plant-based materials
  • life cycle assessment
  • carbon footprints

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 3067 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Properties, Physical Properties and VOC Emissions of Three-Layer Particleboards with Recycled Automotive Plastics in the Core Layer
by Anna Darabošová, Tatiana Bubeníková, Iveta Čabalová, Miroslav Badida, Çağrı Olgun, Önder Tor and Mustafa Öncel
Polymers 2025, 17(11), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17111438 - 22 May 2025
Viewed by 326
Abstract
The growing volume of plastic waste from end-of-life vehicles presents environmental concerns, driving efforts to integrate recycled plastics. This study investigates the possibility of using recycled plastic from automotive parts (painted and unpainted bumpers, fuel tanks) as a 10% filler in the core [...] Read more.
The growing volume of plastic waste from end-of-life vehicles presents environmental concerns, driving efforts to integrate recycled plastics. This study investigates the possibility of using recycled plastic from automotive parts (painted and unpainted bumpers, fuel tanks) as a 10% filler in the core layer of three-layer particleboards (P) and evaluates its impact on physical properties (water absorption—WA and thickness swelling—TS), mechanical properties (internal bonding strength—IB, modulus of rupture—MOR, modulus of elasticity—MOE and screw driving torque—SDT) and volatile organic compounds—VOC emissions. The boards were produced using conventional hot-pressing technology and analyzed according to applicable standards. Based on the results, the density of the reference (P) was 0.72 g·cm−3, while wood–plastic composites ranged from 0.70 g·cm−3 to 0.72 g·cm−3. After 24 h, WA reached 40% for reference (P) and from 36.9% (for (P) containing unpainted bumpers) to 41.9% (for (P) containing fuel tanks). TS reached 18% for (P) and from 16.8% (for (P) containing unpainted bumpers and fuel tanks) to 18.1% (for (P) containing painted bumpers). Plastic is a hydrophobic material and it is assumed that by increasing the proportion of plastic filler in the particleboards, the WA and TS of prepared boards will decrease. From the point of view of mechanical properties, values for (P) containing plastic filler were slightly lower compared to reference (P). The lowest value of IB (0.39 MPa) were reached for (P) containing painted bumpers. Plastic surface treatment could interfere with adhesion between the plastic and adhesive, weakening the bond in the core layer. For this reason, is preferable to use unpainted fillers, which provide better adhesive properties and higher structural integrity. VOC emissions from wood components consisted primarily of monoterpenes such as α-pinene, 3-carene and limonene. Adding 10% plastic to the particleboard did not increase overall VOC emissions. On the other hand, combining wood and plastic particles resulted in a reduction in overall VOC emissions. The findings confirm that recycled automotive plastics can be effectively incorporated into particleboards, maintaining standard performance while reducing reliance on virgin wood materials, making them a viable and sustainable alternative for furniture and interior applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Cycle and Utilization of Lignocellulosic Materials)
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16 pages, 4455 KiB  
Article
Saccharide Alterations in Spruce Wood Due to Thermal and Accelerated Aging Processes
by František Kačík, Tereza Jurczyková, Magdaléna Bálintová, Elena Kmeťová, Eva Výbohová and Danica Kačíková
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1265; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091265 - 6 May 2025
Viewed by 453
Abstract
This work is devoted to the changes in polysaccharides in thermally treated wood after its accelerated aging with the aim of its optimal utilization after its original use has ended. Spruce wood samples were treated by the Thermowood process at temperatures of 160 [...] Read more.
This work is devoted to the changes in polysaccharides in thermally treated wood after its accelerated aging with the aim of its optimal utilization after its original use has ended. Spruce wood samples were treated by the Thermowood process at temperatures of 160 °C, 180 °C, and 210 °C and subjected to accelerated aging in wet mode. The influence of treatment temperature and accelerated aging was monitored by wet chemistry, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). During thermal treatment, hemicelluloses are mainly degraded. At the temperature of 210 °C, aromatic compounds formed as degradation products of lignin and hemicelluloses bind to cellulose fibers and increase cellulose yield. Preferential decomposition of the amorphous portion of cellulose leads to an increase in its crystallinity, while higher temperatures cause degradation of the crystal lattice. The degree of polymerization in both cellulose and hemicelluloses decreases due to the cleavage of glycosidic bonds. Accelerated aging does not significantly affect the changes in polysaccharides. The results obtained can be used in the processing of cellulose and hemicelluloses from thermally modified wood at the end of its life cycle in various industrial fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Cycle and Utilization of Lignocellulosic Materials)
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21 pages, 2419 KiB  
Article
Characterization and Kinetic Study of Agricultural Biomass Orange Peel Waste Combustion Using TGA Data
by Suleiman Mousa, Ibrahim Dubdub, Majdi Ameen Alfaiad, Mohammad Yousef Younes and Mohamed Anwar Ismail
Polymers 2025, 17(8), 1113; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17081113 - 19 Apr 2025
Viewed by 346
Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive kinetic and thermodynamic investigation of dried orange peel (OP) combustion, employing thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermogravimetry (DTG) at high heating rates (20–80 K min−1). This gap in high heating rate analysis motivates the novelty of [...] Read more.
This study presents a comprehensive kinetic and thermodynamic investigation of dried orange peel (OP) combustion, employing thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermogravimetry (DTG) at high heating rates (20–80 K min−1). This gap in high heating rate analysis motivates the novelty of present study, by investigating OP combustion at 20, 40, 60, and 80 K min−1 using TGA, to closely simulate rapid thermal conditions typical of industrial combustion processes. Thermal decomposition occurred in three distinct stages corresponding sequentially to the dehydration, degradation of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. Activation energy (Ea) was calculated using six model-free methods—Friedman (FR), Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO), Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), Starink (STK), Kissinger (K), and Vyazovkin (VY)—yielding values between 64 and 309 kJ mol−1. The Ea increased progressively from the initial to final degradation stages, reflecting the thermal stability differences among biomass constituents. Further kinetic analysis using the Coats–Redfern (CR) model-fitting method identified that first-order (F1), second-order (F2), and diffusion-based mechanisms (D1, D2, D3) effectively describe OP combustion. Calculated thermodynamic parameters—including enthalpy (ΔH), Gibbs free energy (ΔG), and entropy (ΔS)—indicated the endothermic and increasingly non-spontaneous nature of the reactions at higher conversions. These findings demonstrate the potential of OP, an abundant agricultural waste product, as a viable bioenergy resource, contributing valuable insights into sustainable combustion processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Cycle and Utilization of Lignocellulosic Materials)
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16 pages, 3441 KiB  
Article
Utilization of Waste Rubber Materials After the End of Their Life Cycle in the Production of Three-Layer Particleboards—Physical and Mechanical Properties
by Vladimír Mancel, Iveta Čabalová, Jozef Krilek, Çağrı Olgun, Mustafa Öncel, Önder Tor, Tomasz Szul, Grzegorz Woroniak and Joanna Piotrowska-Woroniak
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 998; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070998 - 7 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 640
Abstract
The aim of the article was to test new types of rubber-containing particleboards created from waste materials, which positively contributes to environmental protection, saving primary resources and reducing production costs. This article focuses on the study of three-layer particleboards made from wood particles [...] Read more.
The aim of the article was to test new types of rubber-containing particleboards created from waste materials, which positively contributes to environmental protection, saving primary resources and reducing production costs. This article focuses on the study of three-layer particleboards made from wood particles (spruce non-treated beams) and waste rubber granulates (tires, mixture of seals and carpets, internal flammable cables, external non-flammable cables). Urea–formaldehyde glue, melamine–formaldehyde glue, paraffin emulsion, and ammonium nitrate were used as a binders and excipients in the manufacturing of particleboards. In the core layer of each particleboard, 10% of the weight was made up of rubber granulate. Physical properties (density, water absorption, thickness swelling) and mechanical properties (internal bonding strength, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, screw driving torque) were assessed from this perspective using current EN technical standards. According to the findings, the average densities of all particleboards were comparable to each other in a range from 0.692 to 0.704 g·cm−3. The lowest average water absorption and thickness swelling reached particleboards containing 10% of waste internal flammable cables, namely 32.79% for water absorption and 13.21% for thickness swelling. The highest average internal bonding strength reached particleboards without rubber filler and particleboards containing 10% of waste external non-flammable cables, namely 0.52 MPa for both types. The highest average modulus of rupture reached particleboards without rubber filler, namely 12.44 MPa. The highest average modulus of elasticity reached particleboards containing 10% of waste internal flammable cables, namely 2206.29 MPa, and the highest screw driving torque reached particleboards without rubber filler, namely 0.46 N·m for seating torque and 1.44 N·m for stripping torque. The results show that particleboards containing waste external non-flammable cables and particleboards containing waste internal flammable cables achieved comparable results to particleboards without rubber filler, which provides a good basis for a new way of utilizing this type of waste in the form of producing new wood–rubber composites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Cycle and Utilization of Lignocellulosic Materials)
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