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Green Polymers from Renewable Resources
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Green Polymers from Renewable Resources

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: closed (30 April 2025) | Viewed by 5090

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ana Beatriz Morales-Cepeda

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Guest Editor
Petrochemical Research Center, Technological Institute of Madero City—National Technological Institute of Mexico, Altamira 89600, Mexico
Interests: sustainable polymers; cellulose; PLA; nanoparticles; glycerol carbonate
Dr. Carlos Fernando Castro-Guerrero

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Guest Editor
CONACyT, Technological Institute of Madero City—National Technological Institute of Mexico, Altamira 89600, Mexico
Interests: cellulose nanocrystals; surface chemistry; energy storage; nanocellulose; nanoparticles

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Within the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs), it is necessary to implement green polymers, such as cellulose, polylactic acid, and polyvinyl alcohol, developed from natural resources. These green polymers have the advantage that they are compostable after use and do not generate socio-environmental problems; green polymers are acceptable for the SDGs of the 2030 agenda. Green polymers are a challenge when researching their synthesis and chemical modifications or obtaining composites due to their gas permeability, short life, and lower degradability by light or heat, water, microorganisms, etc. There are problems with their processability and end uses in biomedicine, packaging, electrical conductors, etc.

This issue will expose the research challenges and solutions of researchers in the “green polymers” field, which are adapted to the UN SDGs, giving us a chance to help our planet with sustainable polymers. We encourage researchers to submit original research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing various aspects of green polymers from renewable resources for the Special Issue. Research articles may cover (1) Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Modifying of Biodegradable Polymers, (2) Characterization Techniques for Green Polymers, (3) Applications of Green Polymers in Packaging, (4) Biomedical Applications of Green Polymers, and (5) Environmental Impact Assessments of Green Polymers.  

Prof. Dr. Ana Beatriz Morales-Cepeda
Dr. Carlos Fernando Castro-Guerrero
Guest Editors

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

  • biodegradable polymers
  • sustainable materials
  • bio-based polymers
  • renewable resources
  • eco-friendly plastics

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 5270 KiB  
Article
Environmentally Sustainable and Green Polymeric Method for Chitosan (CH) Film Synthesis Using Natural Acids and Impact of Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles (NPs) on Water Solubility (WS) and Physical Properties
by Dilawar Hassan, Ayesha Sani, Ghulam Qadir Chanihoon, Aurora Antonio Pérez, Muhammad Ehsan and Ana Laura Torres Huerta
Polymers 2024, 16(24), 3466; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16243466 - 12 Dec 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 962
Abstract
Currently, there is a rush to develop green polymeric films such as biodegradable chitosan (CH) films to control and prevent plastic pollution from degrading the environment. This study reports a novel and sustainable green approach to the development of CH films using lemon [...] Read more.
Currently, there is a rush to develop green polymeric films such as biodegradable chitosan (CH) films to control and prevent plastic pollution from degrading the environment. This study reports a novel and sustainable green approach to the development of CH films using lemon juice (LJ) and lemon peel extract (LPE), the latter to dilute the LJ. The LPE was also utilized for the synthesis of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs), adding to this work’s novelty. The crystalline size of the ZnFe2O4 NPs was computed to be ~16 nm. The introduction of 1% and 2% ZnFe2O4 NPs improved not only the mechanical properties of the films, but also their barrier properties and water solubility (WS). The tensile strength increased from 0.641 MPa to 0.835 MPa when 2% NPs were incorporated, which is almost 1.30 times greater; the NPs also enhanced the surface strength by 2.66 times, which was demonstrated by the puncture strength. The introduction of NPs occupied the vacant spaces and improved the barrier capabilities of the CH film by reducing the water vapor permeability (WVP) value from 8.752 ± 0.015 for bare CH films to 6.299 ± 0.009 for 2% NP-containing CH films. Overall, the introduction of ZnFe2O4 NPs boosted the mechanical and barrier properties of the CH films, and offers a promising method for developing sustainable, eco-friendly, and biodegradable polymeric films for potential packaging and medical applications to contribute to circular economic efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Polymers from Renewable Resources)
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22 pages, 4738 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Nickel–Zinc Ferrite Nanoparticles on the Mechanical and Barrier Properties of Green-Synthesized Chitosan Films Produced Using Natural Juices
by Dilawar Hassan, Ayesha Sani, Aurora Antonio Pérez, Muhammad Ehsan, Josué D. Hernández-Varela, José J. Chanona-Pérez and Ana Laura Torres Huerta
Polymers 2024, 16(24), 3455; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16243455 - 10 Dec 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 955
Abstract
A trend has been established concerning the research and development of various green and biodegradable plastics for multi-purpose applications, aiming to replace petroleum-based plastics. Herein, we report the synthesis of chitosan (CH) films using lemon juice; these were reinforced with NiZnFe2O [...] Read more.
A trend has been established concerning the research and development of various green and biodegradable plastics for multi-purpose applications, aiming to replace petroleum-based plastics. Herein, we report the synthesis of chitosan (CH) films using lemon juice; these were reinforced with NiZnFe2O4 nanoparticles (NiZnFe2O4 NPs) to obtain improved mechanical and barrier properties, facilitating their future application as sustainable, corrosion-resistant coatings for medical instruments. The synthesized NiZnFe2O4 NPs had a crystallite size of ~29 nm. Reinforcement with the nanoparticles in bio-sourced chitosan films was conducted at two concentrations: 1% and 2%. The mechanical strength of the CH film was found to be 1.52 MPa, while the 2% NiZnFe2O4 NP-containing films showed stress-bearing potential of 1.04 MPa with a larger strain value, confirming the elastic nature of the films. Furthermore, the % elongation was directly proportional to the NP concentration, with the highest value of 36.833% obtained for the 2% NP-containing films. The CH films presented improved barrier properties with the introduction of the NiZnFe2O4 NPs, making them promising candidates for coatings in medical instruments; this could protect such instruments from corrosion under controlled conditions. This approach not only broadens the application range of biopolymeric films but also aligns with global sustainability goals, serving to reduce the reliance on non-renewable corrosion-resistant coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Polymers from Renewable Resources)
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21 pages, 7540 KiB  
Article
Green Chemically Synthesized Iron Oxide Nanoparticles–Chitosan Coatings for Enhancing Strawberry Shelf-Life
by Ayesha Sani, Dilawar Hassan, Ghulam Qadir Chanihoon, Dulce Viridiana Melo Máximo and Elvia Patricia Sánchez-Rodríguez
Polymers 2024, 16(23), 3239; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16233239 - 22 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1185
Abstract
To enhance the preservation of strawberries, a novel coating formulation was developed using chitosan (CH) and iron oxide (IO) nanoparticles (NPs) supplemented with ginger and garlic extracts and combined with varying concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3% Fe3O4 NPs. The [...] Read more.
To enhance the preservation of strawberries, a novel coating formulation was developed using chitosan (CH) and iron oxide (IO) nanoparticles (NPs) supplemented with ginger and garlic extracts and combined with varying concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3% Fe3O4 NPs. The results of XRD revealed an average crystalline size of 48.1 nm for Fe3O4 NPs. SEM images identified Fe3O4 NPs as bright spots on the surface of the fruit, while FTIR confirmed their presence by detecting specific functional groups. Additional SEM analysis revealed clear visibility of CH coatings on the strawberries. Both uncoated and coated strawberry samples were stored at room temperature (27 °C), and quality parameters were systematically assessed, including weight loss, firmness, pH, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSSs), ascorbic acid content, antioxidant activity, total reducing sugars (TRSs), total phenolic compounds (TPCs), and infection rates. The obtained weight loss was 21.6% and 6% for 1.5% CH and 3% IO with 1.5% CH, whereas the obtained infection percentage was 19.65% and 13.68% for 1.5% CH and 3% IO with 1.5% CH. As strawberries are citric fruit, 3% IO with 1.5% CH contains 55.81 mg/100 g ascorbic acid. The antioxidant activity for 1.5% CH coated was around 73.89%, whereas 3% IO with 1.5% CH showed 82.89%. The studies revealed that coated samples showed better results, whereas CH that incorporates Fe3O4 NP coatings appears very promising for extending the shelf life of strawberries, preserving their quality and nutritional value during storage and transportation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Polymers from Renewable Resources)
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13 pages, 1030 KiB  
Article
Effect of Technological Factors on the Extraction of Polymeric Condensed Tannins from Acacia Species
by Zeinab Osman, Antonio Pizzi, Mohammed Elamin Elbadawi, Jérémy Mehats, Wadah Mohammed and Bertrand Charrier
Polymers 2024, 16(11), 1550; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16111550 - 30 May 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1104
Abstract
The aim of this research work was to investigate the influence of parameters such as particle size, mass/solvent ratio, temperature and spray drying on the tannin extraction process in order to develop cost-effective methods with better environmental and structural performance. The pods of [...] Read more.
The aim of this research work was to investigate the influence of parameters such as particle size, mass/solvent ratio, temperature and spray drying on the tannin extraction process in order to develop cost-effective methods with better environmental and structural performance. The pods of Acacia nilotica ssp. tomentosa (ANT) were fractionated into three fractions, coarse fraction (C) (>2 mm), medium fraction (M) (1–2 mm), and fine fraction (F) < 1 mµ), and extracted with different water-to-pod ratios (2:1, 4:1 and 6:1) at different temperatures (30, 50 and 70 °C). The best results were scaled up using the three fractions of ANT, its bark and the bark of Acacia seyal var. seyal (ASS). Part of their extract was spray dried. The tannin content and total polyphenolic materials were evaluated using standard methods. Their adhesives were tested for their tensile strength. Tannins of ASS were characterized by 13C NMR and MALDI-TOF. The results revealed that the fine fraction (F) gave the highest percentage of tannins in both small and scaled-up experiments. The results of the tensile strength conformed to the European standard. The 13C NMR spectra of ANT and ASS showed that the bark contained condensed tannins mainly consisting of procyanidins/prodelphinidin of 70%/30% and 60%/40%, respectively. MALDI–TOF spectra confirmed the results obtained by 13C NMR and detailed the presence of flavonoid monomers and oligomers, some of which were linked to short carbohydrate monomers or dimers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Polymers from Renewable Resources)
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