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Macromol
Special Issues
Sustainable Processes to Multifunctional Bioplastics and Biocomposites
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Sustainable Processes to Multifunctional Bioplastics and Biocomposites

A special issue of Macromol (ISSN 2673-6209).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 6779

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Valentina Sessini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Research “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, Campus Universitario, 28871 Madrid, Spain
Interests: stimuli-responsive polymers; bioplastics; bionanocomposites; smart energy; smart materials; shape-memory polymers; piezoelectric effect; catalysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Multifunctional bioplastics and biocomposites can be produced using sustainable processes to minimize the impact on the environment. These processes include using renewable raw materials such as agricultural and forest residues, as well as adding additives to enhance biodegradability. Catalytic processes aimed at the synthesis of bioplastics and biocomposites are a subject of great interest, followed by companies in the plastics sector. Obtaining catalysts that allow these reactions to be carried out in a more efficient and selective manner results in economic benefits for the companies, since the consumption of material and energy resources can be drastically reduced. Furthermore, recycling and upcycling bioplastics and biocomposites can create new products, reduce waste, and provide natural sources of nutrients for plants. Moreover, reactive extrusion is a promising cost- and time-effective, sustainable, solvent-free and scalable industrial method for the production of bioplastics and biocomposites manufacture. This Special Issue aims to summarize innovative sustainable strategies to obtain multifunctional bioplastics and biocomposites, as well as their emerging application and different approaches that are able to offer the potential circularity of these materials.

Dr. Valentina Sessini
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 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. Macromol is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1000 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

  • catalysis
  • green processing
  • reactive extrusion
  • natural polymers
  • biobased polymers
  • biodegradable polymers
  • circular economy
  • recycling
  • depolymerization
  • smart materials

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 4741 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Characterization of Bio-Based Polyurea Derived from Liquefied Wood of Wooden Musical Instrument Offcuts
by Go Masuda, Christian Ebere Enyoh, Weiqian Wang, Miho Suzuki, Yu Honda and Qingyue Wang
Macromol 2024, 4(4), 739-752; https://doi.org/10.3390/macromol4040044 - 17 Oct 2024
Viewed by 522
Abstract
During the manufacturing of wooden musical instruments, offcut wood pieces are inevitably generated. This study explores the potential of utilizing three types of these small offcut wood pieces, mahogany, maple, and rosewood, by converting them into polyurea through liquefied wood technology by proposing [...] Read more.
During the manufacturing of wooden musical instruments, offcut wood pieces are inevitably generated. This study explores the potential of utilizing three types of these small offcut wood pieces, mahogany, maple, and rosewood, by converting them into polyurea through liquefied wood technology by proposing a novel approach to synthesizing bio-based polyurea. This polyurea is a durable polymer, offering long-term carbon fixation and thereby contributing to environmental sustainability. In this study, various liquefaction conditions as parameters, including the temperature, sulfuric acid content, mix solvent ratio, and liquefaction time, were investigated in relation to polyurea film properties. The relationship between the mechanical and thermal properties of the resulting films and the characteristics of the liquefied product was investigated. Notably, when the hydroxyl value of the liquefied product exceeded 300, the resulting polyurea derived from the liquefied product exhibited a high tensile strength of 25 MPa. In contrast, when the hydroxyl value was below 300, the polyurea derived from the liquefied product displayed a strain value of up to 150%, alongside an increased thermal decomposition temperature. These findings suggest that the properties of polyurea can be effectively tuned by manipulating the characteristics of the liquefied product, offering a promising approach to enhancing the value of offcut wood in instrument manufacturing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Processes to Multifunctional Bioplastics and Biocomposites)
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12 pages, 2887 KiB  
Article
Recycling of Wood–Plastic Composites—A Reprocessing Study
by Christoph Burgstaller and Károly Renner
Macromol 2023, 3(4), 754-765; https://doi.org/10.3390/macromol3040043 - 2 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2142
Abstract
Wood–plastic composites, consisting of wood particles and a thermoplastic matrix, are common composites often used in buildings as decking boards or for similar non-load-carrying applications. As these are usually semi-finished products, a certain amount of material is available after cutting these to size, [...] Read more.
Wood–plastic composites, consisting of wood particles and a thermoplastic matrix, are common composites often used in buildings as decking boards or for similar non-load-carrying applications. As these are usually semi-finished products, a certain amount of material is available after cutting these to size, in the factory and also at installation sites. Especially for in-house waste streams in factories, the question remains whether these materials can be reprocessed without any negative influence on the materials’ properties. Therefore, the aim of this work is to investigate the influence of reprocessing on the property profile of polypropylene based wood–plastic composites. Two base formulations with 40 wt% of wood particles and two different polypropylene grades were investigated for their mechanical properties, wood particle size, color, weathering stability and water uptake. We found that most of the wood–plastic composites’ properties were not negatively influenced by the multiple processing steps; the most pronounced effect beside particle size reduction is color degradation, as the composites darken with increasing number of processing steps. In our opinion this shows, that wood–plastic composites can be recycled, especially if these are only reprocessed in smaller shares together with virgin materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Processes to Multifunctional Bioplastics and Biocomposites)
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Review

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14 pages, 2311 KiB  
Review
Harnessing Brewery Spent Grain for Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production
by Robe D. Terfa, Priyanshi N. Patel, Hwidong D. Kim, Matthew D. Gacura, Gary Vanderlaan, Longyan Chen, Xiaoxu Ji and Davide Piovesan
Macromol 2024, 4(3), 448-461; https://doi.org/10.3390/macromol4030026 - 22 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1632
Abstract
The utility of brewery spent grain (BSG), a byproduct of the beer production process, for the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), is a significant advancement towards sustainable and cost-effective biopolymer production. This paper reviews the upcycling potential of BSG as a substrate for PHA [...] Read more.
The utility of brewery spent grain (BSG), a byproduct of the beer production process, for the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), is a significant advancement towards sustainable and cost-effective biopolymer production. This paper reviews the upcycling potential of BSG as a substrate for PHA production, utilizing various biotechnological approaches to convert this abundant waste material into high-value biodegradable polymers. Through a comprehensive review of recent studies, we highlight the biochemical composition of BSG and its suitability for microbial fermentation processes. This research delves into different methodologies for PHA production from BSG, including the use of mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) for the synthesis of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), a critical precursor in PHA production, and solid-state fermentation (SSF) techniques. We also examine the optimization of process parameters such as pH, temperature, and microbial concentration through the application of the Doehlert design, revealing the intricate relationships between these factors and their impact on VFA profiles and PHA yields. Additionally, this paper discusses challenges and future perspectives for enhancing the efficiency and economic viability of PHA production from BSG. By harnessing the untapped potential of BSG, this research contributes to the development of a circular economy model, emphasizing waste valorization and the creation of sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Processes to Multifunctional Bioplastics and Biocomposites)
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19 pages, 2199 KiB  
Review
Recyclability Perspectives of the Most Diffused Biobased and Biodegradable Plastic Materials
by Maria-Beatrice Coltelli, Vito Gigante, Laura Aliotta and Andrea Lazzeri
Macromol 2024, 4(2), 401-419; https://doi.org/10.3390/macromol4020023 - 7 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1679
Abstract
The present chapter focuses on the recyclability of both renewable and biodegradable plastics, considering the recovery of matter (mechanical or chemical recycling) from the polymeric materials currently most diffused on the market. Biobased and compostable plastics are carbon neutral; thus, they do not [...] Read more.
The present chapter focuses on the recyclability of both renewable and biodegradable plastics, considering the recovery of matter (mechanical or chemical recycling) from the polymeric materials currently most diffused on the market. Biobased and compostable plastics are carbon neutral; thus, they do not contribute significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Nevertheless, recycling can be beneficial because it allows a prolongation of the material life cycle so that carbon is stored for a longer time up to the final composting. The chemical or mechanical recycling option is linked both to the possibility of reprocessing bioplastics without detrimental loss of properties as well as to the capability of selecting homogenous fractions of bioplastics after waste collection. Moreover, the different structural features of biodegradable bioplastics have resulted in different chemical recycling opportunities and also in different behaviors during the reprocessing operations necessary for recycling. All these aspects are discussed systematically in this review, considering biodegradable bioplastics, their blends and composites with natural fibers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Processes to Multifunctional Bioplastics and Biocomposites)
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