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Polymers
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State-of-the-Art Cellulose and Renewable Materials
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State-of-the-Art Cellulose and Renewable Materials

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 3359

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Guang Yang

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Guest Editor
School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Interests: medical materials; drug carrier; photoelectric materials; ordered nanomaterial assembly
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Quanling Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: natural polymer based functional materials; nanomaterials; materials for energy storage and conversion
Dr. Zhijun Shi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
Interests: biofabrication based on microbes; electroactive biomaterials and their applications in biomedicine
Dr. Kai Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
Interests: thermally conductive polymer materials; thermally conductive composite materials; thermal interface materials; phase change heat storage materials; liquid metals and low melting point alloy materials; radiant heat management and refrigeration; thermal stealth

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled “State-of-the-Art Cellulose and Renewable Materials”, will focus on the latest scientific and technical advancements in cellulose and renewable materials.

The 2nd International Symposium on Cellulose and Renewable Materials (ISCRM) provides an invaluable platform for connecting scientific and technical professionals in the field of cellulose and renewable materials. Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Structure, modelling, and analytics of cellulose-based materials;
  • Processing, application, and function of cellulose-based materials;
  • Development and utilization of other biomass resources;
  • Renewable materials. 

Prof. Dr. Guang Yang
Dr. Quanling Yang
Dr. Zhijun Shi
Dr. Kai Wu
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

  • cellulose
  • cellulose-based materials
  • renewable materials
  • structure
  • modelling
  • analytics
  • biomass resources

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 5756 KiB  
Article
High-Energy Milling as a Pre-Treatment Alternative for Lignocellulosic Fibers Derived from Brewer’s Spent Grain
by Erik Gomez-Hernandez, Ernesto Hernández-Hernández, Javier Castro-Rosas, Rosa A. Vázquez-García, Arturo Cadena-Ramírez, Brenda E. Jiménez-Villeda and Carlos A. Gomez-Aldapa
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1156; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091156 - 24 Apr 2025
Viewed by 146
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate how high-energy milling affects the structural, thermal, and morphological properties of brewer’s spent grain fibers over time. The researchers determined the chemical composition of the samples using TAPPI techniques, particle size analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to evaluate how high-energy milling affects the structural, thermal, and morphological properties of brewer’s spent grain fibers over time. The researchers determined the chemical composition of the samples using TAPPI techniques, particle size analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The samples displayed distinct morphologies and particle sizes depending on the treatment duration. The sample treated for 120 min (T120) showed the smallest particle size (19.4 µm). FTIR spectra revealed that the mechanical treatment strongly disrupted the structure of hemicellulose. The thermal stability of the samples decreased because of the applied treatment. Mechanical milling also fully eliminated the crystalline structure of cellulose in the samples. These findings indicate that high-energy milling holds strong potential as a pre-treatment method for the valorization of lignocellulosic residues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Cellulose and Renewable Materials)
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15 pages, 7482 KiB  
Article
Biocomposites Based on PHBV and the Lignocellulosic Residue from Horchata Production
by Anita Patrón-Espá, María Eugenia Martín-Esparza, Amparo Chiralt and Chelo González-Martínez
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 974; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070974 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 249
Abstract
The use of agro-industrial residues in the development of packaging materials is a topic of interest from a sustainable perspective, as it promotes biodegradability, reduces production costs, and aligns with the concept of a circular economy. The aim of this work was to [...] Read more.
The use of agro-industrial residues in the development of packaging materials is a topic of interest from a sustainable perspective, as it promotes biodegradability, reduces production costs, and aligns with the concept of a circular economy. The aim of this work was to develop and characterize biodegradable composite films based on Poly 3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) and the tiger nut horchata solid residue (HSR) at different ratios. The obtained composites were evaluated as to their suitability as food active packaging materials in terms of microstructure, water content and solubility, mechanical, barrier and thermal properties, and total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. The incorporation of HSR into the PHBV matrix led to more opaque, darker reddish films and promoted significant changes in their mechanical and barrier properties. Specifically, the composite films showed lower water vapor barrier capacity and reduced tensile strength (43–81% lower TS) and elongation at break (46–77% lower Ɛ values) while the rigidity increased or maintained when using up to 20% wt. of HSR. In contrast, the incorporation of the HSR provided the films with remarkable antioxidant capacity and effective light-blocking capacity, which could be of great interest for food preservation, as active packaging materials. The total phenol content of the composites increased in line with the increment of the HSR content, ranging from 9 to 34 mg GAE/100 g film. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Cellulose and Renewable Materials)
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24 pages, 5046 KiB  
Article
Study of the Influence of Chitosan-Wrapped Carbon Nanotubes on Biopolymer Film Properties
by Aurora G. Magallanes-Vallejo, Ana B. López-Oyama, Eugenio Rodríguez González, Deyanira Del Angel-López, Eder U. Pulido-Barragán, Crescencio García-Guendulain, Tomás J. Madera-Santana, César Rodríguez-Beas and Rogelio Gámez-Corrales
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 889; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070889 - 26 Mar 2025
Viewed by 297
Abstract
Due to their biocompatibility and non-toxicity, biopolymer-based films hold significant importance in bioengineering. It is imperative to comprehend the influence of chitosan molecular weight and filler materials nature on the crystalline structure and their subsequent effect on film properties. The aim of this [...] Read more.
Due to their biocompatibility and non-toxicity, biopolymer-based films hold significant importance in bioengineering. It is imperative to comprehend the influence of chitosan molecular weight and filler materials nature on the crystalline structure and their subsequent effect on film properties. The aim of this research was to determine how carbon nanotubes embedded within chitosan can significantly improve the performance of biopolymer-based films produced by the solvent-casting technique. Four probe measurements demonstrated that films of medium-molecular-weight chitosan/carbon nanotubes displayed an electrical conductivity value of 0.0132 S cm−1, resulting in films with a low sheet resistance value of 0.0156 mΩ/Υ. Based on XRD findings, it has been demonstrated that films containing carbon nanotubes have shifted the (002) plane of chitosan towards higher angles, favoring chitosan crystal form II, which could be responsible for the enhanced mechanical performance. Structural characteristics, such as lattice strain (e), grain size (D), and dislocation density, have been calculated using the Williamson–Hall method, in which the medium-molecular-weight chitosan/CNTs film samples displayed the best crystalline quality. SEM images revealed nanotube diameters ranging in size from 140 to 300 nm, suggesting that the chitosan was effectively wrapped along carbon nanotubes. Our results indicate that developing chitosan-wrapped carbon nanotube films introduces them as potential materials for bioengineering and biomedical research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Cellulose and Renewable Materials)
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10 pages, 3445 KiB  
Article
Flexible Waterborne Polyurethane-Bacterial Cellulose Films for Real-Time Physiological Monitoring
by Jiujiang Ji, Changyong (Chase) Cao, Ruixiang Qu, Ningjing Zhou, Enjian He, Mingrui Wu, Huacui Xiang, Zhijun Ma, Guojun Liu and Yen Wei
Polymers 2025, 17(6), 787; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17060787 - 16 Mar 2025
Viewed by 590
Abstract
The incorporation of waterborne polyurethane (WPU) into bacterial cellulose (BC) fibers significantly improved the tensile strength of the resulting WPU/BC composite film, achieving an enhancement of 19.4 times. The formation of hydrogen bonds between WPU and BC effectively eliminates cavities within the BC [...] Read more.
The incorporation of waterborne polyurethane (WPU) into bacterial cellulose (BC) fibers significantly improved the tensile strength of the resulting WPU/BC composite film, achieving an enhancement of 19.4 times. The formation of hydrogen bonds between WPU and BC effectively eliminates cavities within the BC matrix, achieving significant plasticization and toughening. Compared with the pure BC film (WPU/BC-0), the elastic modulus of the WPU/BC-5 composite film is reduced by 97.5%, and surface hardness is decreased by 96.9%. When integrated with a flexible EGaIn electrode, the wearable composite film demonstrated exceptional potential in flexible electronics, reliably enabling point-of-care detection of human electrocardiograph (ECG) signals. This WPU-regulated BC approach provides a promising alternative for fabricating flexible and durable substrates suitable for wearable device applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Cellulose and Renewable Materials)
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Review

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22 pages, 10114 KiB  
Review
Piezoelectric Biopolymers: Advancements in Energy Harvesting and Biomedical Applications
by Menghan Xu, Yongxian Wen, Zhuqun Shi, Chuanxi Xiong, Fangju Zhu and Quanling Yang
Polymers 2024, 16(23), 3314; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16233314 - 27 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2045
Abstract
Biodegradable piezoelectric polymers have emerged as a hot research focus in bioelectronics, energy-harvesting systems, and biomedical applications, as well as in sustainable future development. Biopolymers possess plenty of features which make them promising candidates for next-generation electronic technologies, including biocompatibility, degradability, and flexibility. [...] Read more.
Biodegradable piezoelectric polymers have emerged as a hot research focus in bioelectronics, energy-harvesting systems, and biomedical applications, as well as in sustainable future development. Biopolymers possess plenty of features which make them promising candidates for next-generation electronic technologies, including biocompatibility, degradability, and flexibility. This review discusses piezoelectric biopolymers, focusing on the relationship between coupling mechanisms, material structures, and piezoelectric performance. Processing techniques such as annealing, mechanical drawing, and poling are introduced and further studied in terms of achieving high piezoelectric performance. This work reviews the strategies for enhancing piezoelectric properties via molecular engineering, nano structuring, and the incorporation of additives. Furthermore, the applications of these biopolymers in energy harvesting and biomedicine are provided, with a discussion of their potential in degradable bioelectronic devices. There are still challenges in optimizing piezoelectric performance and ensuring stability. Our research is expected to provide an understanding of these challenges and help to achieve a wider application of piezoelectric biopolymers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Cellulose and Renewable Materials)
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