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Polymers
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Strategies to Make Polymers Sustainable
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Strategies to Make Polymers Sustainable

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: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 10856

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Maiyong Zhu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science & Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
Interests: metal–organic frameworks; electrochemical energy storage; recycling of solid waste
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Among all chemical productions, polymers account for the largest percentages. They are currently manufactured at a rate of around 400 Mt annually, which shows a dramatic increase trend year by year. Unfortunately, most of the currently available polymers are produced from petroleum-based feedstocks, which are nonrenewable. On the other hand, the burden on the environment caused by waste polymers is becoming increasingly severe. In order to meet the requirements of the sustainable development goals, several important strategies to address these issues have emerged. Firstly, turning to carbon dioxide utilization technologies is a versatile tool used to replace virgin petrochemical feedstocks, either directly achieved by CO2-based chemistries or through biomass upgrading. Secondly, developing some green synthetic systems, such as molten salts, deep eutectic solvents, ionic liquids, and high-performance catalysts, has demonstrated great promise in the realization of energy efficiency during the production of polymers. Thirdly, the reuse/recycle of end-of-life polymers should be fully considered, endowing post-consumed polymers with reuse and/or recycle properties. Last but not least, artificial intelligence and machine learning offer versatile tools for scientists and engineers to design, synthesize, and predicate the properties of polymers to meet the requirements of sustainable development.

Considering the above context, we propose the launch of this Special Issue (strategies to Make Polymers Sustainable) of Polymers, where we aim to provide a platform to show the latest breakthroughs in sustainable polymers. Both original research and review articles are welcome to be submitted to this Special Issue. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Copolymerization of CO2 with olefins;
  • Ring-opening copolymerization of cyclic epoxide and CO2;
  • Green synthetic approaches to polymers;
  • Lifecycle analysis of polymers;
  • Utilization of post-consumed polymers;
  • Treatment of end-of-life polymers;
  • Machine learning in sustainable polymers.

Dr. Maiyong Zhu
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

  • bio-based polymer
  • recycling and reuse of polymers
  • machine learning
  • lifecycle analysis
  • green synthetic approach

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 4934 KiB  
Article
The Preparation of an Environmentally Friendly Novel Daidzein-Modified Lignin Phenolic Resin with High Performance and Its Application in Friction Materials
by Yufei Jia, Yimiao Zhang, Fuliang Meng, Zeyu Chen, Hongwei Fei, Dapeng Zhou, Maiyong Zhu and Xinhua Yuan
Polymers 2025, 17(1), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17010094 - 1 Jan 2025
Viewed by 760
Abstract
The preparation of biological phenolic resin (PF) with green recyclable biomaterials instead of phenol is a research hotspot for solving current resource and environmental problems. In this study, on the basis of introducing lignin into the phenolic system, daidzein of a renewable resource [...] Read more.
The preparation of biological phenolic resin (PF) with green recyclable biomaterials instead of phenol is a research hotspot for solving current resource and environmental problems. In this study, on the basis of introducing lignin into the phenolic system, daidzein of a renewable resource with a rigid structure was selected to modify lignin-based phenolic resin (LPF), and the improvement of the mechanical and thermal properties of the modified phenolic resin under different substitution ratios was studied. The friction materials were prepared with a daidzein-modified lignin-based phenolic resin (D-LPF) as the matrix binder, and their effects on the mechanics and friction and wear properties of friction materials were investigated. The results show that when the proportion of daidzein replacing phenol is 12%, the highest Tp can reach 152.4 °C, and the Tg of the modified D-LPF resins is significantly higher than those of PF and LPF. The highest Ts of D-LPF is 203.3 °C, which is also significantly higher than those of PF and LPF (184.7 °C and 174.6 °C, respectively). The maximum carbon residue rate at 800 °C is 64.2% and is greatly improved compared with the 55.1% and 56.7% of PF and LPF. The bending strength and impact strength of D-LPF-matrix friction materials are obviously higher than those of PF- and LPF-matrix friction materials. The specific wear rate of D-LPF-matrix friction materials is 0.70 × 10−4 mm3/Nm, which is obviously lower than those of PF- and LPF-matrix friction materials and shows good applicational prospect as a matrix resin in friction materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Make Polymers Sustainable)
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12 pages, 927 KiB  
Article
Valorization of Xylose-Rich Medium from Cynara cardunculus Stalks for Lactic Acid Production via Microbial Fermentation
by Gianfrancesco Russo, Mattia Gelosia, Giacomo Fabbrizi, Mariarosaria Angrisano, Grazia Policastro and Gianluca Cavalaglio
Polymers 2024, 16(24), 3577; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16243577 - 21 Dec 2024
Viewed by 765
Abstract
Lactic acid (LA) is a versatile, optically active compound with applications across the food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries, largely driven by its role in producing biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA). Due to its abundance, lignocellulosic biomass is a promising and sustainable resource for [...] Read more.
Lactic acid (LA) is a versatile, optically active compound with applications across the food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries, largely driven by its role in producing biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA). Due to its abundance, lignocellulosic biomass is a promising and sustainable resource for LA production, although media derived from these matrices are often rich in xylose and contain growth inhibitors. This study investigates LA production using a xylose-rich medium derived from Cynara cardunculus L. altilis DC stalks treated through steam explosion and enzymatic hydrolysis. The lactic acid bacteria strains Lacticaseibacillus casei, Paucilactobacillus vaccinostercus, and Pediococcus pentosaceus were grown on natural media, achieving yields of 0.59, 0.57, and 0.58 g LA/g total carbon consumed, respectively. Remarkably, on xylose-rich media, all supplied sugar was consumed, with LA yields comparable to those on complex media. These findings highlight the adaptability of these strains in the presence of inhibitors and support the potential of lignocellulosic biomass as a low-cost and sustainable substrate for effective PLA production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Make Polymers Sustainable)
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17 pages, 6698 KiB  
Article
Metakaolin-Based Geopolymers Filled with Industrial Wastes: Improvement of Physicochemical Properties through Sustainable Waste Recycling
by Veronica Viola, Antonio D’Angelo, Luigi Vertuccio and Michelina Catauro
Polymers 2024, 16(15), 2118; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16152118 - 25 Jul 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1693
Abstract
The increasing global demand for cement significantly impacts greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption, necessitating sustainable alternatives. This study investigates fresh geopolymer (GP) pastes incorporating 20 wt.% of five industrial wastes—suction dust, red mud from alumina production, electro-filter dust, and extraction sludges from [...] Read more.
The increasing global demand for cement significantly impacts greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption, necessitating sustainable alternatives. This study investigates fresh geopolymer (GP) pastes incorporating 20 wt.% of five industrial wastes—suction dust, red mud from alumina production, electro-filter dust, and extraction sludges from food supplement production and from partially stabilized industrial waste—as potential replacements for traditional cement. Consistent synthesis methods are used to prepare the geopolymers, which are characterized for their physicochemical, mechanical, and biological properties. Ionic conductivity and pH measurements together with integrity tests, thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), and leaching analysis are used to confirm the stability of the synthesized geopolymers. Fourier-transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is used to follow geopolymerization occurrences. Results for ionic conductivity, pH, and integrity revealed that the synthesized GPs were macroscopically stable. TGA revealed that the main mass losses were ascribable to water dehydration and to water entrapped in the geopolymer networks. Only the GP filled with the powder of the red mud coming from alumina production experienced a mass loss of 23% due to a partial waste degradation. FT-IR showed a red shift in the main Si-O-(Si or Al) absorption band, indicating successful geopolymer network formations. Additionally, most of the GPs filled with the wastes exhibited higher compressive strength (37.8–58.5 MPa) compared to the control (22 MPa). Only the GP filled with the partially stabilized industrial waste had a lower mechanical strength as its structure was highly porous because of gas formation during geopolymerization reactions. Despite the high compressive strength (58.5 MPa) of the GP filled with suction dust waste, the concentration of Sb leached was 25 ppm, which limits its use. Eventually, all samples also demonstrated effective antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus due to the alkaline environment and the presence of metal cations able to react with the bacterial membranes. The findings revealed the possibility of recycling these wastes within several application fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Make Polymers Sustainable)
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Review

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24 pages, 4843 KiB  
Review
Enhancing Polymer Sustainability: Eco-Conscious Strategies
by Aparna Beena Unni and Tomy Muringayil Joseph
Polymers 2024, 16(13), 1769; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16131769 - 22 Jun 2024
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 7190
Abstract
Polymer sustainability is a pressing concern in today’s world driven by the increasing demand for environmentally friendly materials. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of eco-friendly approaches towards enhancing the sustainability of polymers. It synthesized recent research and developments in various areas [...] Read more.
Polymer sustainability is a pressing concern in today’s world driven by the increasing demand for environmentally friendly materials. This review paper provides a comprehensive overview of eco-friendly approaches towards enhancing the sustainability of polymers. It synthesized recent research and developments in various areas such as green polymer synthesis methods, biodegradable polymers, recycling technologies, and emerging sustainable alternatives. The environmental impact of traditional polymer production processes and the importance of adopting greener alternatives were critically examined. The review delved into the advancements in polymer recycling technologies like mechanical, chemical, and biological processes aimed at minimizing plastic waste and promoting a circular economy. The innovative approaches such as upcycling, hybrid methods etc., which offer promising solutions for addressing plastic pollution and achieving long-term sustainability goals were also analyzed. Finally, the paper discussed the challenges and future prospects of eco-friendly approaches for polymer sustainability, emphasizing the need for researchers and concerted efforts from scientists across industries and academia to drive meaningful change towards a more sustainable future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies to Make Polymers Sustainable)
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