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Polymers
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Polymer-Based Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications
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Polymer-Based Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 1723

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Martin Reifarth

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Chemistry, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
Interests: polymers; coordination chemistry; nanomaterials; nano/microengineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymeric nanoparticles have garnered increasing attention over the past decades. This may be attributed to the large versatility of material properties and colloidal features that this material class may cover. As they are based on functional organic macromolecules, they are readily functionalized, which facilitates a precise adjustment of their properties. Preparation strategies of polymeric nanoparticles are diverse and include precipitation and emulsion methods, as well as the phase-separation of block-copolymer architectures, providing access to a large portfolio of nanoscale structures, such as spherical micelles, worms, etc. Due to this versatility that polymeric nanomaterials offer, they have found abundant applications in fields such as drug delivery, (bio-)imaging, etc.

This Special Issue entitled “Polymer-Based Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications” aims to present the latest achievements in the field of polymeric nanoparticles, particularly with respect to their syntheses, characterization, and application fields.

Dr. Martin Reifarth
Guest Editor

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

  • polymers
  • block copolymer
  • polymeric nanoparticles
  • colloidal systems
  • drug delivery
  • antibacterial properties

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 5339 KB  
Article
Preparation of Alginate/AgNP Nanocomposite Hydrogels Incorporating Olive Leaf Extracts in Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents
by Ioanna Pitterou, Athina Tzavara Roussi, Aikaterini Malliaraki, Elli Martina Kousouli, Andromachi Tzani, Konstantinos Tsiantas, Anthimia Batrinou, Christina Fountzoula, Anastasios Kriebardis, Panagiotis Zoumpoulakis and Anastasia Detsi
Polymers 2025, 17(23), 3234; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17233234 - 4 Dec 2025
Viewed by 303
Abstract
In the present study, alginate–silver nanoparticle (Alg-AgNP) nanocomposite hydrogels possessing antibacterial activity were synthesized via an innovative route. A task-specific designed Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NADES), composed of glucose, lactic acid, and water, was utilized as a green extraction solvent of bioactive compounds [...] Read more.
In the present study, alginate–silver nanoparticle (Alg-AgNP) nanocomposite hydrogels possessing antibacterial activity were synthesized via an innovative route. A task-specific designed Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent (NADES), composed of glucose, lactic acid, and water, was utilized as a green extraction solvent of bioactive compounds from olive leaves (OLs). The NADES–olive leaf extract (NADES-OLE) was used as obtained for the preparation of the Alg-AgNP nanocomposite hydrogel as a multiple-role component. The NADES-OLE acts (a) as a crosslinking agent for the preparation of the alginate hydrogels, (b) as a reducing agent for the in situ synthesis of AgNPs during hydrogel formation, and (c) as a bioactivity enhancement agent due to the presence of compounds obtained from the olive leaves. The Alg-AgNP hydrogel preparation process was optimized through a Box–Behnken experimental design. The resulting nanocomposite hydrogels were characterized for their swelling capacity and water retention in phosphate buffer (pH 5.5), achieving 538% swelling capacity within 180 min and 90% water retention after 250 min. The AgNPs formed within the hydrogels were found to have an average size of 103.2 ± 5.6 nm, with a concentration of 1.2 108 ± 2.2 ∗ 107 particles/mL. Antibacterial testing of the nanocomposite hydrogels against foodborne pathogens, including Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, Yersinia enterocolitica) and Gram-positive bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus), revealed significant antibacterial activity, particularly against E. coli (64.9%), Y. enterocolitica (60.6%), S. aureus (79.1%), and B. cereus (55.3%), at a concentration of 1 mg/mL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications)
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19 pages, 1928 KB  
Article
Coupled Mechanical/Dielectric Behavior of Bio-Modified PP/PBS Nanocomposites Reinforced with Organically Modified Montmorillonite
by Sirine Taktak, Nouha Ghorbel, Sébastien Rondot, Omar Jbara and Ahmed Tara
Polymers 2025, 17(22), 3063; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17223063 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 436
Abstract
The performance of heterogeneous polymer-based materials is largely governed by the efficiency of interfacial adhesion and the strength of interactions between their constituent phases. This work mainly focuses on correlating the properties of dielectrically active interfaces, identified through broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS), with [...] Read more.
The performance of heterogeneous polymer-based materials is largely governed by the efficiency of interfacial adhesion and the strength of interactions between their constituent phases. This work mainly focuses on correlating the properties of dielectrically active interfaces, identified through broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS), with the mechanical behavior of heterogeneous polymer-based materials. Blends of polypropylene (PP) and biodegradable poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) were investigated across a wide composition range (100/0, 80/20, 70/30, 50/50, 20/80, and 0/100 PP/PBS). The interface between the immiscible PP and PBS phases induces a Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars (MWS) interfacial polarization in the permittivity spectrum. For the 80PP/20PBS formulation, the high activation energy of this polarization is well correlated with the material’s elevated tensile strength measured under uniaxial tension. A series of nanocomposites based on the 80PP/20PBS blend and reinforced with organically modified montmorillonite (Cloisite 20A) were thoroughly investigated. A strong correlation was established between their mechanical performance and the additional interfacial polarization arising from charge accumulation at the clay–matrix interface. The 80PP*/20PBS–3%C20 nanocomposite demonstrated superior matrix–filler adhesion, reflected by the highest activation energy of interfacial polarization and a marked increase in Young’s modulus (~22%) and zero-shear viscosity η0 (~44%). Complementary rheological measurements confirmed a substantial increase in viscosity and relaxation time for the 80PP/20PBS–3%C20 nanocomposites, indicating restricted chain mobility and the formation of a percolated network. Morphological analysis by SEM provided insights into the overall microstructure of the polymer blends and nanocomposites. These results demonstrate a direct correlation between interfacial structure, chain dynamics, and macroscopic performance in immiscible polymer blends and nanocomposites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications)
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18 pages, 7202 KB  
Article
Functionalized Polymeric Nanoparticles for Yttrium Recovery by Chelating Effect
by Pedro Adrián Martínez-Montoya, Hugo Martínez-Gutiérrez, Ángel de Jesús Morales-Ramírez and Mónica Corea
Polymers 2025, 17(15), 2011; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152011 - 23 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 700
Abstract
Polymethyl methacrylate nanoparticles functionalized with three different compounds, acrylic acid (AA), curcumin (CUR), and fumaramide (FA), were tested in a two-step solid–liquid extraction process (extraction and stripping) for yttrium recovery. In both stages, the best conditions were determined: pH, solid–liquid ratio and the [...] Read more.
Polymethyl methacrylate nanoparticles functionalized with three different compounds, acrylic acid (AA), curcumin (CUR), and fumaramide (FA), were tested in a two-step solid–liquid extraction process (extraction and stripping) for yttrium recovery. In both stages, the best conditions were determined: pH, solid–liquid ratio and the compound with the highest affinity for yttrium recovery, obtaining 90% of efficiency for both stages in a single work cycle. The results obtained by SEM ruled out the growing of nanoparticles by swelling and confirmed the formation of structural arrangements by the addition of the metal to the system. In addition, there is evidence that the recovery process can be selective considering the mixing of rare earth elements through changes in pH. Using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), the thermodynamic properties of the extraction process were calculated, understanding the system as the union of a macromolecule and a ligand. The results showed that the extraction process was spontaneous and highly entropic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer-Based Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications)
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