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Polymers
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Advances in Sustainable Polymeric Materials, 3rd Edition
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Advances in Sustainable Polymeric Materials, 3rd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2024 | Viewed by 1808

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Cristina Cazan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Product Design and Environment Faculty, Product Design, Mechatronics and Environment Department, Transilvania University of Brasov, Brasov, Romania
Interests: waste management; polymeric waste; solid waste processing; ecological recycling technology; bioenergy-biomass; life-cycle assessment; composite materials; materials synthesis and processing; materials characterization; surface and interface science; biotechnology; sustainable technology development; environmental assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mihai Alin Pop

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science, Transilvania University of Brasov, 500036 Brasov, Romania
Interests: material characterization; mechanical properties; microstructure; polymers; advanced materials; mechanical testing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue has a special focus on eco-friendly polymers, polymer composites, hybrid polymeric materials, nanocomposites, and blends and polymeric materials for sustainability.

This Special Issue will consider recent advancements in research and development in the synthesis, characterization, processing, morphology, structure, properties, and applications of advanced polymeric materials. Recent advances in the synthesis of polymeric materials by improving the interfaces (of inorganic/organic nature) using different fillers and coupling agents have shown strong potential to generate materials with better sustainability properties.

Fundamental advances in nanocomposite blends and nanostructured polymeric materials in environmental sustainability applications are highlighted in this issue.

This Special Issue aims to present original articles, reviews, short communications, research notes, analyses, and case studies on topics relating to advances in sustainable polymer materials.

Dr. Cristina Cazan
Dr. Mihai Alin Pop
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

  • eco-friendly polymers
  • sustainable materials
  • hybrid polymeric materials
  • bio-based polymers
  • bioplastics
  • renewable resources
  • polymer composites
  • nanocomposites
  • materials synthesis and processing
  • materials characterization
  • surface and interface science

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2291 KiB  
Article
Eco-Friendly Hydrogel Beads from Seashell Waste for Efficient Removal of Heavy Metals from Water
by Zaineb Mchich, Daniela Simina Stefan, Rachid Mamouni, Nabil Saffaj and Magdalena Bosomoiu
Polymers 2024, 16(23), 3257; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16233257 (registering DOI) - 23 Nov 2024
Viewed by 54
Abstract
The objective of this study is to develop a calcium carbonate-based adsorbent derived from Cellana Tramoscrica seashells, incorporated into a sodium alginate matrix (Na-Alg@CTs) to form hydrogel beads, for the efficient removal of Cu (II) and Zn (II) heavy metals from aqueous solutions. [...] Read more.
The objective of this study is to develop a calcium carbonate-based adsorbent derived from Cellana Tramoscrica seashells, incorporated into a sodium alginate matrix (Na-Alg@CTs) to form hydrogel beads, for the efficient removal of Cu (II) and Zn (II) heavy metals from aqueous solutions. XRD, SEM/EDS, and FTIR analysis confirm the successful synthesis and characterization of the fabricated adsorbent. The adsorption study of Cu (II) and Zn (II) onto Na-Alg@CTs hydrogel beads revealed that the Langmuir model was the most suitable for characterizing the adsorption isotherms, suggesting monolayer coverage. Na-Alg@CTs exhibited a maximum Langmuir adsorption capacity of 368.58 mg/g and 1075.67 mg/g for Cu (II) and Zn (II), respectively. Additionally, the kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model, indicating that the adsorption process is primarily governed by chemisorption. The thermodynamic study suggests that the uptake of metal ions on Na-Alg@CTs hydrogel beads is spontaneous and endothermic. The exceptional adsorption capacity, eco-friendly nature, and low-cost characteristics of Na-Alg@CTs hydrogel beads make them an ideal adsorbent for the removal of Cu (II) and Zn (II) from wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Polymeric Materials, 3rd Edition)
11 pages, 5759 KiB  
Article
Upcycling of Expanded Polystyrene Waste-Impregnated PVP Using Wet-Phase Inversion for Effective Microalgae Harvesting
by Tutik Sriani, Muslim Mahardika, Shofa Aulia Aldhama, Chandrawati Putri Wulandari and Gunawan Setia Prihandana
Polymers 2024, 16(19), 2703; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16192703 - 25 Sep 2024
Viewed by 594
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of upcycling Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) waste collected from food packaging into a membrane for microalgae harvesting, in which membrane filtration often challenges fouling and pore blocking. The target species is Spirulina platensis, [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of upcycling Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) waste collected from food packaging into a membrane for microalgae harvesting, in which membrane filtration often challenges fouling and pore blocking. The target species is Spirulina platensis, with Chlorella vulgaris as a comparison agent. The membrane was fabricated from used Styrofoam, which typically ends up as single-use food packaging waste. In this study, PVP was used as an additive at varying concentrations, from 2 wt.% to 8 wt.%. The experimental results indicated that despite varying PVP concentrations, all EPS waste membranes exhibited near-complete recovery of Spirulina platensis biomass extraction. Despite the similar harvesting efficiency, EPS/PVP-8 exhibited the largest flux of 970.5 LMH/Bar, which is twice the value of the pristine EPS waste membrane. All membranes were hydrophilic; however, hydrophobicity increased with PVP concentration. SEM micrographs revealed that PVP enlarged the membrane surface pores and improved connectivity within the membrane’s structure, ensuring efficient flow. The EPS waste membrane offers promising insights for sustainable materials and wastewater treatment. The upcycling of EPS waste into flat sheet membranes not only addresses the problem of Styrofoam waste accumulation but also paves the way to transform waste into valuable products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Polymeric Materials, 3rd Edition)
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19 pages, 4182 KiB  
Article
Advancing Sustainability and Performance with Crushed Bottom Ash as Filler in Polymer-Modified Asphalt Concrete Mixtures
by Yeong-Min Kim, Kyungnam Kim and Tri Ho Minh Le
Polymers 2024, 16(12), 1683; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16121683 - 13 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 767
Abstract
Amid the growing demand for sustainable pavement solutions and the need to incorporate recycled materials into construction practices, this study explored the viability of using crushed thermal power plant bottom ash as a filler in polymer-modified asphalt concrete mixtures. Conventional lime filler was [...] Read more.
Amid the growing demand for sustainable pavement solutions and the need to incorporate recycled materials into construction practices, this study explored the viability of using crushed thermal power plant bottom ash as a filler in polymer-modified asphalt concrete mixtures. Conventional lime filler was replaced with bottom ash at varying levels (0%, 25%, 50%, and 75%), and the resulting mixtures were evaluated using several performance tests. The optimal replacement level was determined to be 25%, based on the results of the indirect tensile strength (ITS) test. Comparisons between the control mixture and the 25% bottom ash-modified mixture were conducted using the dynamic modulus test, Cantabro test, Hamburg wheel tracking (HWT) test, and tensile strength ratio (TSR) test. The findings indicate that the 25% bottom ash-modified mixture demonstrated improved performance across multiple parameters. The HWT test showed enhanced rut durability, with a recorded depth of 7.56 mm compared to 8.9 mm for the control mixture. The Cantabro test results revealed lower weight loss percentages for the modified mixture, indicating better abrasion resistance. The dynamic modulus test indicated higher resilience and stiffness in both high- and low-frequency stages. The TSR test highlighted improved moisture resistance, with higher TSR values after 10 wet-drying cycles. These improvements are attributed to the fine particle size and beneficial chemical composition of bottom ash, which enhance the asphalt mixture’s density, binder-aggregate adhesion, and overall durability. The results suggest that incorporating 25% crushed bottom ash as a filler in polymer-modified asphalt concrete mixtures is a viable and sustainable approach to improving pavement performance and longevity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Polymeric Materials, 3rd Edition)
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