Biodegradable Polymers and Biocomposites in Compost and Soil
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 43
Editors
Interests: biodegradable polymers; polymer ageing; biodegradation; environmental fate of polymer materials; compostability; packaging; end-of-life assessment; life cycle assessment
Interests: biodegradable polymer materials; environmental microbiology; polymer biodegradation; composting and soil systems; microbial ecology; ecotoxicity
Interests: biodegradable polymers; biocomposites; PLA; PBS; PBAT; compostability; decentralized composting; soil-like biodegradation; matrix–filler interactions; microbial degradation; residual polymer analysis; carbon balance; ecotoxicity
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Biodegradable polymers and biocomposites are increasingly proposed for packaging, agricultural and short-life applications. However, their environmental relevance depends not only on formulation and in-use properties, but also on their behavior under realistic end-of-life conditions. This Special Issue aims to gather original research articles and reviews addressing the fate of biodegradable polymer materials in composting, soil and related biologically active environments. Contributions linking polymer chemistry, processing, morphology, crystallinity, filler–matrix interactions, water sorption, mechanical performance and ageing with biodegradation kinetics, microbial activity and residual polymer formation are especially welcome. Topics may include industrial and home composting, soil biodegradation, microbial and enzymatic degradation mechanisms, compost and soil microbiomes, residual polymer analysis, carbon-balance approaches, ecotoxicological assessment, environmental impacts, circularity and life-cycle thinking. By integrating polymer science, materials characterization, microbiology and end-of-life assessment, this Special Issue seeks to advance a multiscale understanding of biodegradable polymers and biocomposites, from material design to their actual fate after use.
Dr. Alain Copinet
Dr. Lucile Chatellard
Guest Editors
Dr. Jules Bellon
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 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-anonymized 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
- biodegradable polymers
- biocomposites
- composting
- soil biodegradation
- compostability
- polymer biodegradation
- microbial degradation
- enzymatic degradation
- ecotoxicity
- end-of-life assessment
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.
