Application and Degradation of Polymeric Materials in Agriculture
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 May 2026 | Viewed by 365
Special Issue Editors
Interests: biodegradable plastics; degradation mechanism; microplastics; intermediates; environmental behavior
Interests: biomass energy chemistry; lignin; high-value utilization of biomass-based resources
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: cellulose; nanocellulose; high-value utilization of biomass
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
With their excellent physical and chemical properties, polymer materials have become a crucial support for the development of modern agriculture. However, the extensive use of traditional non-degradable polymer materials (such as polyethylene and polypropylene) has given rise to a severe "white pollution" problem. These materials are difficult to degrade in the natural environment; their long-term presence in soil damages the soil structure, hinders the development of crop root systems, and poses a threat to the ecosystem and human health through the food chain.
Currently, the approaches to addressing this issue mainly fall into two categories. First, the development of biodegradable polymer materials, such as PBAT, PCL, PLA, and starch-based composite materials, has been a significant advancement. These materials can be decomposed into carbon dioxide and water under the action of microorganisms, enabling an environmentally friendly cycle. Second, optimizing degradation control technologies. Through blending modification, the addition of photo/biodegradants, and other methods, the degradation rate of traditional materials is enhanced while maintaining their performance in use.
In the future, the development of polymer materials in the agricultural sector needs to strike a balance between functionality and environmental compatibility. On the one hand, it is necessary to enhance the performance optimization and cost control of new biodegradable materials to promote their widespread application. On the other hand, a comprehensive system for evaluating material recycling and degradation should be established. Combined with precision agriculture technologies, this will realize the efficient and sustainable utilization of polymer materials, providing technical support for the green development of agriculture.
This issue invites contributions on key topics, including: molecular design for controlled degradation; applications in packaging, agriculture, biomedicine, and so on; degradation kinetics and mechanisms in various environments; and advanced in situ and ex situ techniques to monitor degradation, identify degradation products such as microplastics and intermediates, and assess ecotoxicity. We welcome original research and reviews that consolidate recent advances in the field. The goal is to foster a cradle-to-grave understanding and support the development of safer, high-performance polymeric materials, contributing to a circular economy.
Dr. Dan Huang
Dr. Mingqiang Zhu
Dr. Yanyan Dong
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- biodegradable polymer materials
- plastics
- degradation mechanism
- process monitoring
- microplastics
- intermediates
- analytical methods
- characterization
- environmental behavior
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