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Polymers
Special Issues
Biodegradable and Natural Polymers II
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Biodegradable and Natural Polymers II

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 8136

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Magdalena Krystyjan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Food Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Krakow, Poland
Interests: polymers; biodegradable packaging; application possibilities of by-products; food texture and rheology; hydrogels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Increasing attention to biodegradable, natural polymers rather than those of a synthetic nature has led many scientists to initiate intensive research into the most suitable method for their acquisition. This question has arisen from one particular problem that affects contemporary society, namely, the disposal of rubbish. Certainly, finding where to put all of this trash requires storage space along with utilization treatments, but the most serious problem is the risk that it poses to our health and the environment. The increase in the amount of generated waste is significant, while the processes of the decomposition of synthetic materials in nature are long-lasting. The alternative to this strategy is the use of biodegradable polymer materials, which are safe for humans and the environment.

This Special Issue aims to report on the progress of ground-breaking research in the field of designing innovative polymer composites, especially those that are of natural origin and biodegradable. The subject also includes methods of by-product management in order to obtain polymer composites with innovative functionality and application.

Dr. Magdalena Krystyjan
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 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

  • rheological properties of polymers
  • innovative biodegradable packaging
  • by-product application
  • food packaging application
  • functional properties of polymers
  • biodegradable polymer materials
  • natural polymers
  • innovative polymers
  • biopolymers
  • nanoparticles

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 1012 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Chemical and Morphological Properties of Spruce Wood Stored in the Natural Environment
by Iveta Čabalová, Michal Bélik, Viera Kučerová, Tereza Jurczyková and Tatiana Bubeníková
Polymers 2023, 15(24), 4734; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15244734 - 18 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1121
Abstract
This paper focuses on the changes in chemical structure and fiber morphological properties of spruce wood during 15 months of its storage in an open forest woodshed. From the chemical composition, the extractives, cellulose, holocellulose, and lignin content were determined. The pH value [...] Read more.
This paper focuses on the changes in chemical structure and fiber morphological properties of spruce wood during 15 months of its storage in an open forest woodshed. From the chemical composition, the extractives, cellulose, holocellulose, and lignin content were determined. The pH value was measured on the wood surface using a contact electrode. Acetic and formic acid, saccharides (glucose, xylose, galactose, arabinose and mannose), and polymerization degree (PD) of cellulose were analyzed using the HPLC method. Fiber length and width were determined using a fiber tester analyzer. After 15 months of storage the content of both cellulose (determined by the Seifert method) and lignin did not change; the quantity of hemicelluloses decreased by 13.2%, due to its easier degradation and less stability compared to cellulose; and the pH value dropped by one degree. HPLC analyses showed a total decrease in the cellulose DP of 9.2% and in saccharides of 40.2%, while the largest decreases were recorded in the quantity of arabinose, by 72%, in the quantity of galactose, by 61%, and in the quantity of xylose, by 43%. Organic acids were not detected due to their high volatility during wood storage. The total decrease in average fiber length was 38.2% and in width was 4.8%. An increase in the proportion of shorter fibers, and a decrease in the proportion of longer fibers, was recorded. It can be concluded that fundamental changes occurred in the wood, which could affect the quality of further products (e.g., chips, pulp, paper, particleboards). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodegradable and Natural Polymers II)
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Review

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25 pages, 1915 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review on Starch-Based Hydrogels: From Tradition to Innovation, Opportunities, and Drawbacks
by Katerina Koshenaj and Giovanna Ferrari
Polymers 2024, 16(14), 1991; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16141991 - 11 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1121
Abstract
Natural hydrogels based on renewable and inexpensive sources, such as starch, represent an interesting group of biopolymeric materials with a growing range of applications in the biomedical, cosmeceutical, and food sectors. Starch-based hydrogels have traditionally been produced using different processes based on chemical [...] Read more.
Natural hydrogels based on renewable and inexpensive sources, such as starch, represent an interesting group of biopolymeric materials with a growing range of applications in the biomedical, cosmeceutical, and food sectors. Starch-based hydrogels have traditionally been produced using different processes based on chemical or physical methods. However, the long processing times, high energy consumption, and safety issues related to the synthesis of these materials, mostly causing severe environmental damage, have been identified as the main limitations for their further exploitation. Therefore, the main scientific challenge for research groups is the development of reliable and sustainable processing methods to reduce the environmental footprint, as well as investigating new low-cost sources of starches and individuating appropriate formulations to produce stable hydrogel-based products. In the last decade, the possibility of physically modifying natural polysaccharides, such as starches, using green or sustainable processing methods has mostly been based on nonthermal technologies including high-pressure processing (HPP). It has been demonstrated that the latter exerts an important role in improving the physicochemical and techno-functional properties of starches. However, as for surveys in the literature, research activities have been devoted to understanding the effects of physical pre-treatments via high-pressure processing (HPP) on starch structural modifications, more so than elucidating its role and capacity for the rapid formation of stable and highly structured starch-based hydrogels with promising functionality and stability, utilizing more sustainable and eco-friendly processing conditions. Therefore, the present review addresses the recent advancements in knowledge on the production of sustainable starch-based hydrogels utilizing HPP as an innovative and clean-label preparation method. Additionally, this manuscript has the ambition to give an updated overview of starch-based hydrogels considering the different types of structures available, and the recent applications are proposed as well to critically analyze the main perspectives and technological challenges for the future exploitation of these novel structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodegradable and Natural Polymers II)
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25 pages, 1561 KiB  
Review
Hyaluronic Acid—Extraction Methods, Sources and Applications
by Callejas-Quijada Graciela, Escobar-Chávez José Juan, Campos-Lozada Gieraldin, Pérez-Marroquín Xóchitl Alejandra and Aguirre-Álvarez Gabriel
Polymers 2023, 15(16), 3473; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15163473 - 19 Aug 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4977
Abstract
In this review, a compilation of articles in databases on the extraction methods and applications of hyaluronic acid (HA) was carried out. HA is a highly hydrated component of different tissues, including connective, epithelial, and neural. It is an anionic, linear glycosaminoglycan (GAG) [...] Read more.
In this review, a compilation of articles in databases on the extraction methods and applications of hyaluronic acid (HA) was carried out. HA is a highly hydrated component of different tissues, including connective, epithelial, and neural. It is an anionic, linear glycosaminoglycan (GAG) primarily found in the native extracellular matrix (ECM) of soft connective tissues. Included in the review were studies on the extraction methods (chemical, enzymatical, combined) of HA, describing advantages and disadvantages as well as news methods of extraction. The applications of HA in food are addressed, including oral supplementation, biomaterials, medical research, and pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry applications. Subsequently, we included a section related to the structure and penetration routes of the skin, with emphasis on the benefits of systems for transdermal drug delivery nanocarriers as promoters of percutaneous absorption. Finally, the future trends on the applications of HA were included. This final section contains the effects before, during, and after the application of HA-based products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodegradable and Natural Polymers II)
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