Advanced Polymeric Materials for Adsorption Applications
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 July 2026 | Viewed by 24
Special Issue Editor
Interests: hydrogels; polymers; modelling; adsorption process; heavy metals; drug delivery systems; diabetes; skin cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Water pollution caused by various contaminants represents a major problem today, although efforts are being made to improve water quality to minimize negative impacts on ecosystems and the health of living beings.
Several methods exist for contaminant removal; however, adsorption using polymeric adsorbent materials is an effective method for removing these contaminants. Nevertheless, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms involved to optimize adsorption.
In adsorption, chitosan is the main adsorbent. It is a linear, polycationic heteropolysaccharide obtained from the deacetylation of chitin, the second most abundant polymer in nature. This polymer is composed of D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine units that are randomly distributed within its structure and linked by a β-(1-4) glycosidic bond. This polymer has a rigid, crystalline structure and is insoluble in water at neutral pH, but it dissolves in acidic media due to the protonation of its amino groups. The presence of reactive primary hydroxyl (C6), secondary hydroxyl (C3), and primary amino/acetamino (C2) groups in its structure allows for its physical and chemical modification. Therefore, this study proposes the use of chitosan-based hydrogel for the adsorption of the following:
- Dyes
- Pesticides
- Fungicides
- Heavy metals
- Pharmaceutical waste
- Another
However, this Special Issue will bring together a series of research and review articles examining "Advanced Polymeric Materials for Adsorption Applications" from diverse perspectives, encompassing both experimental and theoretical studies of polymers, IPN, hydrogels, composites, etc.
We welcome contributions from related research fields. I trust this stimulating initiative will encourage you to participate in advancing fundamental knowledge about innovative and sustainable processing technologies.
Dr. Norma-Aurea Rangel-Vázquez
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
- adsorption
- adsorbents
- composites
- hydrogels
- IPN
- polymers
- water pollution
- theoretical/experimental studies
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.
