Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.0
4.7
Journals
Polymers
Special Issues
Biobased Polymers and Its Composites
polymers-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Polymers Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Biobased Polymers and Its Composites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 1016

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mercedes Santiago-Calvo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials-Process-Product, Foundation for Research and Development in Transport and Energy (CIDAUT) <<Centro de Excelencia Cervera>>, Parque Tecnológico de Boecillo, 47051 Valladolid, Spain
Interests: thermoset polymers; thermopalstic polymers; polymer composites; in-situ polymerization; biopolymers; reinfocements; recyclability; sustanability; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Juan Carlos Merino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales, University of Valladolid, Paseo del Cauce, 59, 47011 Valladolid, Spain
2. Department of Materials-Process-Product, Foundation for Research and Development in Transport and Energy (CIDAUT) <<Centro de Excelencia Cervera>>, Parque Tecnológico de Boecillo, 47051 Valladolid, Spain
Interests: thermoset polymers; thermoplastic polymers; polymer composites; in-situ polymerization; biopolymers; reinfocements; recyclability; sustanability; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biobased polymers, derived from renewable biological resources, offer a sustainable alternative to conventional petroleum-based polymers by reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and minimizing environmental pollution. Polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) demonstrate a range of beneficial properties, including biodegradability under certain conditions, making them particularly attractive for use in packaging industries that currently rely heavily on single-use plastics, which contribute significantly to plastic waste.

Despite these environmental advantages, biobased polymers often encounter limitations in mechanical and other properties in comparison with fossil-based polymers that restrict their broader applications across various industrial sectors. In this context, biobased polymeric composites—combinations of biobased polymers with natural fibers or other biobased reinforcements—emerge as a promising solution to enhance the mechanical and functional performance of biopolymers. Therefore, much of the research efforts in the field are focusing on the new developments in polymer chemistry, processing techniques, and the development of high-performance biocomposites. Additionally, the environmental impact, biodegradability, and recycling potential of these materials are investigated, emphasizing their significant role in advancing sustainable materials science.

This Special Issue on “Biobased Polymers and Its Composites” supposes an opportunity to submit research and review manuscripts associated with biobased polymers from renewable or recycling resources and biobased polymer composites containing fibers or biobased reinforcements. It covers all types of polymeric matrices (thermoplastics and thermosets), fibers (natural fibers, recycled fibers, etc.) and additives (nanocellulose, nanoclays, etc.) that involve novel developments, innovations, and applications in the field of biobased polymeric composites.

Dr. Mercedes Santiago-Calvo
Prof. Dr. Juan Carlos Merino
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

  • biobased polymers
  • biobased composites
  • biobased additives
  • natural fibers
  • recycled fibers
  • thermoset polymers
  • thermoplastic polymers
  • recycling
  • renewable recourses
  • properties
  • applications

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

29 pages, 5924 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Flexural and Tensile Properties of Hybrid Polyester Composites Reinforced with Bamboo Fibers and Red Mud Waste
by Alessandro José Gomes dos Santos, Maurício Maia Ribeiro, Alessandro de Castro Corrêa, Jean da Silva Rodrigues, Douglas Santos Silva, Raí Felipe Pereira Junio and Sergio Neves Monteiro
Polymers 2025, 17(8), 1060; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17081060 - 15 Apr 2025
Viewed by 271
Abstract
This article discusses research on utilizing natural fibers and red mud waste as eco-friendly alternatives in the production of polymer matrix composites. In this study, composites of isophthalic unsaturated polyester matrix were produced by combining bamboo fibers (Bambusa vulgaris) and red [...] Read more.
This article discusses research on utilizing natural fibers and red mud waste as eco-friendly alternatives in the production of polymer matrix composites. In this study, composites of isophthalic unsaturated polyester matrix were produced by combining bamboo fibers (Bambusa vulgaris) and red mud waste. The red mud waste utilized had a particle size of 50–100 mesh, and the fibers measured 15 mm and 30 mm in length, distributed randomly throughout the matrix. Bamboo fibers were utilized in their raw form and underwent treatment with NaOH (5% for 2 h). The composites underwent mechanical assessment via flexural and tensile testing. The mechanical properties measured were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s test. The fracture surfaces of the composites were examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Composites featuring 30 mm long treated fibers and 30% red mud exhibited improved flexural strength (124.71 MPa), along with a deformation of 2.16 mm and a flexural modulus of 15.79 GPa. Tensile tests revealed that incorporating red mud waste significantly enhanced the tensile strength by 68% (15BTRMW10) compared to neat polyester. ANOVA confirmed the dependability of the findings, emphasizing the viability of producing hybrid composites from red mud waste and bamboo fiber. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biobased Polymers and Its Composites)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 3720 KiB  
Article
Optimization Scheme for 3D Printing of PLA–PHBV–PCL Biodegradable Blends for Use in Orthopedic Casting
by Muhammad Mohid Aziz, Logan Beard, Shafahat Ali, Abdelkrem Eltaggaz and Ibrahim Deiab
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070852 - 22 Mar 2025
Viewed by 381
Abstract
Three-dimensional printing technology offers significant advantages in the production of orthopedic casts, providing a promising alternative to conventional plaster and fiberglass materials. Polylactic acid (PLA) is widely used for this purpose; however, its adoption is limited due to poor mechanical properties, including high [...] Read more.
Three-dimensional printing technology offers significant advantages in the production of orthopedic casts, providing a promising alternative to conventional plaster and fiberglass materials. Polylactic acid (PLA) is widely used for this purpose; however, its adoption is limited due to poor mechanical properties, including high brittleness, low thermal stability, and limited elongation. These challenges can be mitigated by blending PLA with other biodegradable polymers. This study investigated a blend of PLA with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), a type of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), and polycaprolactone (PCL) for the development of 3D printed orthopedic casts. The key mechanical properties—tensile strength, percent elongation at break, Young’s modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength—were evaluated as a function of the printing parameters, including nozzle temperature, layer height, and raster angle. The grey relational analysis (GRA) approach was applied to optimize these mechanical properties. The optimal printing parameters were found to be a nozzle temperature of 180 °C, a layer height of 0.18 mm, and a raster angle of 0°, resulting in a tensile strength of 44.4 ± 4.4 MPa, an elongation at break of 68.5 ± 11.6%, a Young’s modulus of 948.7 ± 25.1 MPa, a flexural strength of 54.6 ± 8.9 MPa, a flexural modulus of 1549.3 ± 141 MPa, and an impact strength of 80.77 ± 5.6 J/m. Statistical analysis using analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that for tensile strength, 50.18% was influenced by the raster angle, 26.38% by the layer height, and 18.92% by the nozzle temperature; for flexural strength, 69.81% was influenced by the raster angle, 20.67% by the layer height, and 3.53% by the nozzle temperature; and for impact strength, 75.11% was influenced by the raster angle, 13.16% by the layer height, and 4.45% by the nozzle temperature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biobased Polymers and Its Composites)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-2
Back to TopTop