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Sustainable Development in Functional Biomaterials: Coating Methods and Optimization
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Sustainable Development in Functional Biomaterials: Coating Methods and Optimization

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 2239

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Samuel Fagbemi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Computational Science and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Interests: flow through porous media; fluid–structure interaction; artificial intelligence; decarbonization; catalytic dehydrogenation; functional materials; roll-to-roll manufacturing; green manufacturing; multiscale imaging
Dr. Julia L. Shamshina

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute, Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
Interests: materials for medical applications; advanced composites from bio-renewables and bio-wastes; novel strategies for refining value-added products from biomass
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Anuja Tripathi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 950 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
Interests: biomaterials; biosensors; thin films

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the design and fabrication of functional biomaterials, as well as the optimization of their coating processes. Over the past two decades, the demand for eco-friendly, non-toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable materials has grown. Biopolymers have emerged due to their biodegradability and unique properties.

The application of polymeric coatings to natural and synthetic biopolymer substrates can enhance properties such as antibacterial activity, gas barrier performance, mechanical strength, and thermal stability, while also mitigating material degradation. Furthermore, the integration between polymer bionanomaterials and these coatings can yield multifunctional and smart surfaces with unique features, including sensitivity to humidity, temperature, pH, and stress.

However, challenges such as coating defects, non-uniformity, nanoparticle agglomeration, weak interlayer adhesion, and delamination can lead to inconsistencies in material properties. To overcome these issues, optimization strategies, including green manufacturing, are essential in the refinement of process parameters and the minimization of material waste.

Additionally, the digitization of process parameters and the use of artificial intelligence in the development of digital twins could enable the enhancement of manufacturing processes. These digital tools ensure the precise delineation of optimal coating conditions, paving the way for material innovations, improved product quality, and technological breakthroughs.

Dr. Samuel Fagbemi
Dr. Julia L. Shamshina
Dr. Anuja Tripathi
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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

  • sustainability
  • artificial intelligence
  • digital twins
  • functional coatings
  • green manufacturing
  • biopolymers
  • bio-nanocomposites
  • cellulose
  • multilayer coatings
  • smart renewable packaging

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 4818 KB  
Article
Comparison of Stabilization Systems for Soybean Wax Emulsions to Produce Sustainable Water-Resistant Paper Based Packaging: Surfactant vs. Pickering
by Mahbuba Daizy, Yu Zhang, Douglas W. Bousfield, Ling Li, Jinwu Wang and David J. Neivandt
Sustainability 2026, 18(2), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18020852 - 14 Jan 2026
Viewed by 885
Abstract
Soybean wax is a sustainable alternative to synthetic polymeric coatings in packaging due to its renewable, environmentally benign, and hydrophobic properties. In order to be effectively applied, however, soybean wax must be emulsified in water. The present work compares two stabilization approaches for [...] Read more.
Soybean wax is a sustainable alternative to synthetic polymeric coatings in packaging due to its renewable, environmentally benign, and hydrophobic properties. In order to be effectively applied, however, soybean wax must be emulsified in water. The present work compares two stabilization approaches for soybean wax emulsions: a conventional surfactant-based emulsion (SE) using a mixture of nonionic surfactants (Span-80 and Tween-80), and a Pickering emulsion (PE) using cellulose nanocrystals combined with sodium alginate (CNC-SA) as an anionic stabilizer. The SE produced stable emulsions at 6 wt% Span-80/Tween-80 (at a HLBmix value of 10) with a mean droplet size of 449 nm but limited storage stability (approximately 7 days under ambient conditions), while the PE achieved superior stability (approximately 1 month) at 1 wt% CNC-SA with a mean droplet size of 740 nm. The stabilized SE and PE were subsequently applied as coatings on three different types of paper substrates: northern bleached kraft (NBK) paper, copy paper, and cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-coated NBK paper. When applied to northern bleached kraft (NBK) paper, the SE coatings provided minimal improvements in barrier performance. The Cobb 60 value decreased slightly from 125 g/m2 (control-no coating) to 86 g/m2, indicating a negligible water barrier with immediate water absorption upon contact. In contrast, the Cobb 60 value of the PE-coated NBK paper decreased markedly from 125 g/m2 to 39 g/m2, confirming that the PE coating substantially enhances water resistance. The SE coating displayed a significant loss of water contact angle (WCA) from 85° to 0° within 20 s, showing limited water holdout capacity, whereas PE-coated NBK paper demonstrated strong water holdout, with the WCA decreasing only from 94° to 85° over 5 min. The SE coating achieved only a 14% reduction in water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), while the PE coating provided a greater reduction of 30%. In terms of oil resistance, both emulsion systems significantly enhanced the kit rating of the papers tested, e.g., from kit number 0 to 6–9 (paper dependent). The SE coating, however, experienced a substantial reduction in barrier integrity after folding, while the PE coating largely retained its oil barrier properties. Furthermore, the SE coating reduced the tensile strength of NBK paper by 41%, whereas the PE coating reduced it by only 7%. Overall, the comparative findings indicate that although the SE generated a smaller mean particle size, it offered minimal improvement in the water and oil barrier performance of paper and had a limited storage life. In contrast, the PE generated a larger mean particle size, but provided substantially greater water and oil resistance, and enhanced mechanical strength retention. In addition, the PE displayed an effective storage life of at least one month. The Pickering emulsion, formulated with all biologically derived components, therefore represents a viable, sustainable, bio-based alternative to synthetic polymeric coatings for packaging applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Functional Biomaterials: Coating Methods and Optimization)
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Review

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29 pages, 2476 KB  
Review
An Approach to Hygienic Surgical Gown Production Using Recycled Textile Waste and Natural Ingredients
by Nowal Adnan, Nazish Nishat, Hafiza Hifza Nawaz, Muhammad Qamar Khan and Muhammad Umar
Sustainability 2026, 18(6), 2881; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062881 - 15 Mar 2026
Viewed by 662
Abstract
The rapid rise in textile waste poses serious environmental concerns, while healthcare continues to rely on hygienic protective apparel such as surgical gowns. This has led to growing interest in sustainable alternatives that can address waste reduction while maintaining performance standards in medical [...] Read more.
The rapid rise in textile waste poses serious environmental concerns, while healthcare continues to rely on hygienic protective apparel such as surgical gowns. This has led to growing interest in sustainable alternatives that can address waste reduction while maintaining performance standards in medical use. This review explores the potential of utilizing textile waste, with particular attention to the incorporation of natural ingredients to enhance eco-friendly and hygienic properties. The addition of natural ingredients is highlighted for enhancing the eco-friendly and hygienic properties of nonwoven fabric. The reviewed studies evaluate key parameters for biocompatibility, including mechanical strength, fluid repellency, and color fastness, to ensure medical suitability. This review highlights the benefits of waste reduction and improved product performance, though issues of scalability and long-term durability remain. Overall, this review underscores the importance of sustainable innovation in healthcare textiles and offers valuable insights for further research and product development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development in Functional Biomaterials: Coating Methods and Optimization)
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