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Functional Polymers and Their Composites for Sustainable Development

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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 November 2025) | Viewed by 5543

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Qina Sun

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Yanshan Univerisity, Qinhuangdao, China
Interests: phosphate removal; adsorbent; adsorption, activation; sulfate root; advanced oxidation; polymer composite
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Liazhou Song

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Yanshan Univerisity, Qinhuangdao, China
Interests: polymer composite; membrane separation; sustainable energy generation; carbon emission reduction; hydrogen generation; environmental protection; source reutilization; friction and lubrication
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Dr. Lichun Xiao

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Yanshan Univerisity, Qinhuangdao, China
Interests: sewage; pyrolysis; pulp and paper sludge; flue gas desulfurization; condensation; polymer composite
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the face of growing global challenges such as climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation, the role of materials science, particularly polymer science, is becoming increasingly pivotal in supporting sustainable development. Functional polymers and their composites, with their tunable properties and versatile applications, offer promising solutions to these pressing issues. This Special Issue focuses on design, performance, mechanisms, and applications of functional polymers and their composites in the context of sustainability.

Design and Synthesis: Novel approaches to the design and synthesis of functional polymers and their composites, including biodegradable and bio-based polymers, green synthesis methods, and life cycle assessment.
Performance and Mechanisms: Studies on the environmental pollution control performance of functional polymers and their composites, as well as the underlying mechanisms that govern their behavior in various environments.
Applications in Environmental Control: Research on the use of functional polymers and their composites for environmental remediation, such as water purification, air filtration, soil stabilization, and waste management.
Carbon Emission Reduction: Contributions focused on how functional polymers and their composites can contribute to reducing carbon emissions, including through the development of lightweight materials, energy-efficient manufacturing processes, and carbon capture technologies.
Sustainable Energy Generation: Exploration of polymer materials in renewable energy applications, such as photovoltaics, fuel cells, energy storage systems, resource reuse, friction reduction, and lubrication.

We are pleased to invite you to submit manuscripts in research areas including, but not limited to, those mentioned above. Both original research articles and reviews are welcome.

Dr. Qina Sun
Prof. Dr. Liazhou Song
Dr. Lichun Xiao
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

function polymers
polymer composite
sustainability
green synthesis
membrane separation
sustainable energy generation
carbon emission reduction
hydrogen generation
environmental remediation
resource reuse
friction and lubrication
chemical coagulants

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 4244 KB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis of a New Multifunctional Ionite Based on DBA-EChH-PEI and Its Efficiency in the Sorption of Copper and Silver Ions

by Yevgeniy Melnikov, Xeniya Morozova and Ruslan Kondaurov

Polymers 2025, 17(24), 3287; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17243287 - 11 Dec 2025

Viewed by 134

Abstract

A comparative sorption dependence was carried out between the Dowex HCR-S/S″ industrial ion-exchange sorbent and the synthesized ion-exchange sorbent based on dibenzylamine, epichlorohydrin and polyethylenimine in relation to copper and silver ions. The sorption of copper and silver was studied by ionometry and the dependences of the sorption of copper and silver ions in the static mode were established depending on the concentration of metal ions and the duration of ionite contact with solutions of copper and silver nitrates. It was found that the maximum sorption capacity of the synthesized ion exchanger is 672.4 mg/g for copper ions and 721.0 mg/g for silver ions, and 626.3 mg/g and 679.7 mg/g for industrial Dowex HCR-S/S″ ionite, respectively. It is shown that the sorption of copper and silver is described by various kinetic models: for copper, the best correspondence is demonstrated by a pseudo second order kinetic model, whereas for silver, the Elovich kinetic model the different nature of the interaction of ions with active centers. It has been revealed that the synthesized ion exchanger is superior to an industrial sorbent in terms of sorption rate and degree of extraction of valuable metals, especially in concentrated solutions, which indicates the prospects of its use in the processes of selective extraction of copper and silver. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers and Their Composites for Sustainable Development)

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20 pages, 10391 KB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Substitution of Petroleum-Based Processing Oils with Soybean-Derived Alternatives in Styrene–Butadiene Rubber: Effects on Processing Behavior and Mechanical Properties

by Yang-Wei Lin, Tsung-Yi Chen, Chen-Yu Chueh, Yi-Ting Chen, Tsunghsueh Wu and Hsi-Ming Hsieh

Polymers 2025, 17(15), 2129; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152129 - 1 Aug 2025

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Abstract

This study evaluates the replacement of petroleum-based naphthenic oil with four types of soybean-derived alternatives—virgin soybean oil (SBO), epoxidized SBO (ESBO), expired SBO, and recycled SBO—in styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) composites. The materials were tested in both staining rubber (SR) and non-staining rubber (NSR) systems to assess processing characteristics, mechanical performance, and environmental durability. Among the alternatives, SBO demonstrated the best overall performance, improving processability and tensile strength by over 10%, while ESBO enhanced ozone resistance by 35% due to its epoxide functionality. Expired and recycled SBOs maintained essential mechanical properties within 90% of virgin SBO values. The full replacement of CH450 with SBO in tire prototypes resulted in burst strength exceeding 1000 kPa and stable appearance after 5000 km of road testing. To validate industrial relevance, the developed green tire was exhibited at the 2025 Taipei International Cycle Show, attracting interest from international buyers and stakeholders for its eco-friendly composition and carbon footprint reduction potential, thereby demonstrating both technical feasibility and commercial viability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers and Their Composites for Sustainable Development)

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18 pages, 2029 KB

Open AccessArticle

Biodegradable Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVOH)-Based Films with Anthocyanin-Rich Extracts of Corozo (Bactris guineensis H.E. Moore) for Intelligent Packaging Design

by Fabián Rico-Rodríguez, Alexis López-Padilla and Rodrigo Ortega-Toro

Polymers 2025, 17(7), 933; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070933 - 29 Mar 2025

Viewed by 1606

Abstract

Corozo (Bactris guineensis H.E. Moore) is a fruit from the Colombian Caribbean region valued for its thermostable anthocyanins, which are responsible for its characteristic reddish colour. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical, structural, and functional properties for an intelligent and biodegradable film design based on a polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) matrix incorporating a Corozo extract rich in anthocyanins, with potential applications in food packaging. Anthocyanins were extracted from Corozo fruit and evaluated throughout a central composite design (CCD) for the effects of three variables—extraction time (t), temperature (T), and solvent concentration (CS). A quadratic model (R² = 0.9586) demonstrated that the exocarp (peel) was the most effective source of anthocyanins. The best conditions were a 1:16.66 solid-to-solvent ratio at 50 °C for 75 min, yielding 38.65 mg EC₃G/L. PVOH films were formulated using Corozo anthocyanin extract (CAE), which was characterised for the total anthocyanin content. Characterisation of the films revealed that the incorporation of Corozo-derived phenolic compounds did not cause significant (p < 0.05) changes in structural or water interaction properties compared to those of the control sample. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers and Their Composites for Sustainable Development)

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22 pages, 6407 KB

Open AccessArticle

(Ligno)Cellulose Nanofibrils and Tannic Acid as Green Fillers for the Production of Poly(vinyl alcohol) Biocomposite Films

by Urša Osolnik, Viljem Vek, Miha Humar, Primož Oven and Ida Poljanšek

Polymers 2025, 17(1), 16; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17010016 - 25 Dec 2024

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1924

Abstract

This study compared the use of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and lignocellulose nanofibrils (LCNF) in different concentrations to reinforce the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. Both nanofillers significantly improved the elastic modulus and tensile strength of PVA biocomposite films. The optimum concentration of CNF and LCNF was 6% relative to PVA, which improved the tensile strength of the final PVA biocomposite with CNF and LCNF by 53% and 39%, respectively, compared to the neat PVA film. The addition of LCNF resulted in more elastic films than the addition of CNF to the PVA matrix. The elongation at break of the PVA biocomposite with 2% of LCNF was more than 100% higher than that of the neat PVA film. The integration of tannic acid (TA) into the PVA-LCNF system resulted in antioxidant-active and more water-resistant PVA biocomposites. The three-component biocomposite films with 2 and 6% LCNF and 10% TA exhibited a more than 20° higher contact angle of the water droplet on the surfaces of the biocomposite films and absorbed more than 50% less water than the neat PVA film. New formulations of biocomposite films have been developed with the addition of LCNF and TA in a polymeric PVA matrix. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers and Their Composites for Sustainable Development)

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