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Advances in Rheology of Bio-Based Polymeric Materials

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2025) | Viewed by 6528

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
Interests: rheology; nonlinear rheology; Rheo-Particle Image Velocimetry (Rheo-PIV); biopolymers; crosslinking; polysaccharides; bioprocesses; lab-scale prototypes
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biological processes and phenomena in multi-component systems are critically based on deep knowledge and physical interpretations of the underlying interaction mechanisms. Nowadays, bio-based polymeric materials are a considerable section of the utilized materials in those processes, if not the main one. Their mechanical properties should be explained under various physical conditions and decisively influence their application processability. Rheological characterization is an efficient characterization procedure because of its unique ability to interpret stress–strain or stress–shear rate relations. Established and contemporary methods, such as LAOS or in situ characterization, can reveal the entire mechanical spectrum of biopolymer solutions and mixtures. Therefore, obtaining the material behavior under different shearing conditions is particularly important, from typical small amplitude linear responses to large-scale nonlinear responses, including shear thinning or thickening and yielding.

The current Special Issue in Polymers is entitled “Advances in Rheology of Bio-based Polymeric Materials.” The target is advances in rheological characterizations of a wide range of polymeric systems, focusing on aqueous systems, such as hydrogels, but not limited to such systems. Particular emphasis will be placed on the microstructural impact on the rheological response. Thus, a sufficient comprehension of the mechanical response lies in effectively associating and explaining the macroscopic rheology with the microstructural characteristics. Contributions with mainly experimental work on oscillatory and steady shear, elongational, and interfacial characterization are welcome.

Dr. Thomas Goudoulas
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

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Keywords

  • shear rheology
  • oscillatory rheology
  • interfacial rheology
  • linear viscoelasticity
  • nonlinear viscoelasticity
  • in situ characterization
  • biopolymers
  • biomaterials
  • sol–gel transition
  • microstructural interpretation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1892 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Thermal Insulation Property and Flexibility of Starch/Poly(butylene adipate terephthalate) (PBAT) Blend Foam by Improving Rheological Properties
by JunGi Hong, Junhyuk Lee, Sung Kyu Kim, Dasom Son, DongHo Kang and Jin Kie Shim
Polymers 2025, 17(2), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17020138 - 8 Jan 2025
Viewed by 799
Abstract
Starch foam has attracted significant attention as an alternative to expanded styrene (EPS) foam owing to its abundance and biodegradability. Despite these merits, its limited thermal insulation and flexibility compared to EPS have hindered its utilization in packaging. Herein, we report the effect [...] Read more.
Starch foam has attracted significant attention as an alternative to expanded styrene (EPS) foam owing to its abundance and biodegradability. Despite these merits, its limited thermal insulation and flexibility compared to EPS have hindered its utilization in packaging. Herein, we report the effect of blending with starch/PBAT on foaming behavior and physical properties during foaming processing. We fabricated a starch/PBAT blend with systematically controlled blending ratios (0, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt%) to analyze their effect on the interaction and characteristics of blended foam. The blending of starch and PBAT significantly reduced complex viscosity, enhancing resin flow during the foaming process. This improvement in resin flow led to increases in expansion ratio while reducing density and cell wall thickness. The thermo-insulation performance improved to 0.043 W/mK with 20 wt% of PBAT due to the enhanced expansion ratio and cell morphology. Additionally, the flexural strain at break improved significantly from 2.8 ± 0.6% to 9.6 ± 1.0% with increasing PBAT content. Enhanced water resistance was also observed, demonstrated by a reduction in water absorption and an extension of dissolution time. Overall, these findings underscore the potential of starch/PBAT foam to improve the thermal-insulating property, flexibility, and water resistance while maintaining their biodegradability and sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rheology of Bio-Based Polymeric Materials)
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18 pages, 4301 KiB  
Article
Advanced Bioresin Formulation for 3D-Printed Bone Scaffolds: PCLDMA and p-PLA Integration
by Deniz Sakarya, Tolga Zorlu, Sevil Yücel, Yesim Muge Sahin and Ali Can Özarslan
Polymers 2024, 16(4), 534; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16040534 - 16 Feb 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1924
Abstract
In bone tissue engineering, scaffold attributes such as pore dimensions and mechanical strength are crucial. This study synthesized polycaprolactone dimethacrylate (PCLDMA) from polycaprolactone (PCL), incorporating epichlorohydrin (Epi-PCL) and methacryloyl chloride (Meth-Cl). PCLDMA was blended with polylactic acid (p-PLA) to 3D-print bone scaffolds using [...] Read more.
In bone tissue engineering, scaffold attributes such as pore dimensions and mechanical strength are crucial. This study synthesized polycaprolactone dimethacrylate (PCLDMA) from polycaprolactone (PCL), incorporating epichlorohydrin (Epi-PCL) and methacryloyl chloride (Meth-Cl). PCLDMA was blended with polylactic acid (p-PLA) to 3D-print bone scaffolds using stereolithography (SLA). Analytical techniques included nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and compression testing. Degradation kinetics and cell viability were investigated using human osteoblast (HOB) cells. Findings revealed PCLDMA/p-PLA composite scaffold superiority over the original polymers. Notably, PCLDMA-60 (60% PCLDMA, 40% p-PLA) displayed optimal properties. Compressive strength varied from 0.019 to 16.185 MPa, porosity from 2% to 50%, and degradation rates from 0% to 0.4% over three days. Cell viability assays affirmed biocompatibility across various PCLDMA ratios. In conclusion, PCLDMA/p-PLA composite scaffolds, particularly PCLDMA-60, show great potential in bone tissue engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rheology of Bio-Based Polymeric Materials)
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Review

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21 pages, 5944 KiB  
Review
Experimental Advances in the Real-Time Recording of Cross-Linking Alginate In Situ Gelation: A Review
by Ioanna N. Besiri, Thomas B. Goudoulas, Ehsan Fattahi and Thomas Becker
Polymers 2023, 15(13), 2875; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15132875 - 29 Jun 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3014
Abstract
Alginate-based hydrogels are promising smart materials widely employed in the food, bioengineering, and energy sectors. The development and optimization of their production require a thorough knowledge of gelation. In recent years, advanced experimental procedures have been developed for real-time cross-linking alginate reaction monitoring. [...] Read more.
Alginate-based hydrogels are promising smart materials widely employed in the food, bioengineering, and energy sectors. The development and optimization of their production require a thorough knowledge of gelation. In recent years, advanced experimental procedures have been developed for real-time cross-linking alginate reaction monitoring. Novel methods, such as customized rheometric setups, enable the recording of mechanical properties and morphological changes during hydrogel formation. These innovative techniques provide important insights into the gelation stages, the reaction rate, the diffusion of cross-linker to polymer chains, and the homogeneity of the gelling structures. Based on real-time experimental data, kinetic models are developed to enhance comprehension of the reaction mechanism and, eventually, to predict the gelation progress. The aim is to enable better control of the characterization of both the complex gelation and the propagated structures. This review aspires to present a comprehensive overview and evaluation of the breakthrough innovations of the real-time in situ recording of cross-linking alginate hydrogels and bead formation. A detailed analysis of the pioneering experimental developments provides a deep comprehension of the alginate gelation, including the parameters controlling the reaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rheology of Bio-Based Polymeric Materials)
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