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Polymers
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Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Sustainable and Recyclable Polymers
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Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Sustainable and Recyclable Polymers

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 7132

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Antonio Pizzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
LERMAB, Laboratoire d’Etude et de Recherche sur le MAteriau Bois, Université de Lorraine, 27 rue Philippe Seguin, CS60036, 88021 Epinal, France
Interests: polycondensation; resins; adhesives; thermosetting polymers for adhesives; natural polymers for industrial use; fibrous and wood composites; polymeric wood constituents (cellulose, lignin, tannins)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable polymers are materials derived from renewable, recycled, and waste carbon resources and their combinations, which can be either recycled, biodegraded or composted at the end of their useful service life. Their reduced environmental impact throughout their service life and their recyclability are crucial aspects of sustainable polymers. Thus, polymers such as bioplastics, polylactic acid, poly(ethylene 2,5-furan dicarboxylate), cellulose-based plastics, starch and starch-blend-based plastics, cellulose and other carbohydrate derivatives, alginates, pectins, chitin and chitosan, animal-based proteins, such as silk, gelatin or collagen, plant-based proteins and lipids, thermoplastics and even some thermosetting materials can be considered in this category, including lignin from different sources, tannins, and others. A variety of sustainable material applications are already commercially available, such as starch-based plastic sacks, thermoplastic lignin objects, and polyfuranics; indeed, their applicative scope is expanding and is bound to increase even more.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The preparation, characterization, properties, and application of sustainable polymers, blends, and composites prepared using renewable resources;
  • The synthesis, properties, and application of renewable and biodegradable polymers;
  • The recycling of waste polymers using novel approaches;
  • The discovery of new functional materials from waste polymers.

Prof. Dr. Antonio Pizzi
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. 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

  • cellulose bioplastics
  • starch-blend bioplastics
  • chitosan and chitin
  • poly(lactic acid)
  • thermoplastic lignin polymers
  • thermosetting lignin blends
  • thermoplastic polyfuranics
  • thermosetting furanic blends
  • animal and plant-proteins-based bioplastics
  • lipids bioplastics
  • tannins and their blended bioplastics
  • sustainable polymers/polymer composites
  • biodegradable polymers
  • polymer recycling
  • recycled polymers

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 7496 KiB  
Article
Repurposing ABS to Produce Polyamide 6 (PA6)-Based Blends: Reactive Compatibilization with SAN-g-MA of a High Degree of Functionalization
by Jonathan Vinícius Moreira Torquato, Carlos Bruno Barreto Luna, Edson Antonio dos Santos Filho, Emanuel Pereira do Nascimento, Tomás Jeferson Alves de Mélo, Renate Maria Ramos Wellen, Edcleide Maria Araújo and Dayanne Diniz de Souza Morais
Polymers 2024, 16(22), 3103; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16223103 - 5 Nov 2024
Viewed by 549
Abstract
In this study, recycled acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABSr) was reused to produce polyamide 6 (PA6)-based blends. This was achieved through reactive compatibilization using styrene-acrylonitrile-maleic anhydride (SAN-g-MA) copolymer with a high degree of functionalization (6–10% MA). The PA6/ABSr and PA6/ABSr/SAN-g-MA blends were prepared through melt [...] Read more.
In this study, recycled acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABSr) was reused to produce polyamide 6 (PA6)-based blends. This was achieved through reactive compatibilization using styrene-acrylonitrile-maleic anhydride (SAN-g-MA) copolymer with a high degree of functionalization (6–10% MA). The PA6/ABSr and PA6/ABSr/SAN-g-MA blends were prepared through melt processing and injection molding and then analyzed for their rheological, mechanical, thermomechanical, thermal, and structural properties, as well as morphology. The torque rheometry revealed a maximum reactivity of the PA6/ABSr (70/30 wt%) blend with low SAN-g-MA (5 phr—parts per hundred resin) content, while above this threshold, torque began to decline, indicating compatibilizer saturation in the interface. These findings were further substantiated by the increase in complex viscosity and the lower melt flow index (MFI) of the PA6/ABSr/SAN-g-MA (5 phr) blend. The 5 phr SAN-g-MA reactive compatibilization of the PA6/ABSr blends significantly enhanced its impact strength, elongation at break, tensile strength, and heat deflection temperature (HDT) by 217%, 631%, 12.6%, and 9.5%, respectively, compared to PA6/ABSr. These findings are promising for the plastic recycling field, paving the way for the production of new tailor-made materials at a reduced price. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Sustainable and Recyclable Polymers)
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14 pages, 4146 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Characterization of Glucose-Based Self-Blowing Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane (NIPU) Foams with Different Acid Catalysts
by Tianjiao Yang, Antonio Pizzi, Xuedong Xi, Xiaojian Zhou and Qianyu Zhang
Polymers 2024, 16(20), 2899; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16202899 - 15 Oct 2024
Viewed by 636
Abstract
The preparation and application of non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) from biomass raw materials as a substitute for traditional polyurethane (PU) has recently become a research hot topic as it avoids the toxicity and moisture sensitivity of isocyanate-based PU. In the work presented here, self-blowing [...] Read more.
The preparation and application of non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) from biomass raw materials as a substitute for traditional polyurethane (PU) has recently become a research hot topic as it avoids the toxicity and moisture sensitivity of isocyanate-based PU. In the work presented here, self-blowing GNIPU non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) rigid foams were prepared at room temperature, based on glucose, with acids as catalysts and glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker. The effects of different acids and glutaraldehyde addition on foam morphology and properties were investigated. The water absorption, compressive resistance, fire resistance, and limiting oxygen index (LOI) were tested to evaluate the relevant properties of the foams, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the foams’ cell structure. The results show that all these foams have a similar apparent density, while their 24 h water absorption is different. The foam prepared with phosphoric acid as a catalyst presented a better compressive strength compared to the other types prepared with different catalysts when above 65% compression. It also presents the best fire resistance with an LOI value of 24.3% (great than 22%), indicating that it possesses a good level of flame retardancy. Thermogravimetric analysis also showed that phosphoric acid catalysis slightly improved the GNIPU foams’ thermal stability. This is mainly due to the flame-retardant effect of the phosphate ion. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that all the GNIPU foams exhibited similar open-cell morphologies with the cell pore sizes mainly distributed in the 200–250 μm range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Sustainable and Recyclable Polymers)
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12 pages, 3242 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Chitosan Hydrogels Obtained through Phenol and Tripolyphosphate Anionic Crosslinking
by Mitsuyuki Hidaka, Masaru Kojima, Shinji Sakai and Cédric Delattre
Polymers 2024, 16(9), 1274; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16091274 - 2 May 2024
Viewed by 1415
Abstract
Chitosan is a deacetylated polymer of chitin that is extracted mainly from the exoskeleton of crustaceans and is the second-most abundant polymer in nature. Chitosan hydrogels are preferred for a variety of applications in bio-related fields due to their functional properties, such as [...] Read more.
Chitosan is a deacetylated polymer of chitin that is extracted mainly from the exoskeleton of crustaceans and is the second-most abundant polymer in nature. Chitosan hydrogels are preferred for a variety of applications in bio-related fields due to their functional properties, such as antimicrobial activity and wound healing effects; however, the existing hydrogelation methods require toxic reagents and exhibit slow gelation times, which limit their application in biological fields. Therefore, a mild and rapid gelation method is necessary. We previously demonstrated that the visible light-induced gelation of chitosan obtained through phenol crosslinking (ChPh) is a rapid gelation method. To further advance this method (<10 s), we propose a dual-crosslinked chitosan hydrogel obtained by crosslinking phenol groups and crosslinking sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) and the amino groups of chitosan. The chitosan hydrogel was prepared by immersing the ChPh hydrogel in a TPP solution after phenol crosslinking via exposure to visible light. The physicochemical properties of the dual-crosslinked hydrogels, including Young’s moduli and water retentions, were subsequently investigated. Young’s moduli of the dual-crosslinked hydrogels were 20 times higher than those of the hydrogels without TPP ion crosslinking. The stiffness could be manipulated by varying the immersion time, and the water retention properties of the ChPh hydrogel were improved by TPP crosslinking. Ion crosslinking could be reversed using an iron chloride solution. This method facilitates chitosan hydrogel use for various applications, particularly tissue engineering and drug delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Sustainable and Recyclable Polymers)
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17 pages, 3317 KiB  
Article
Effect of Protein Surface Hydrophobicity and Surface Amines on Soy Adhesive Strength
by Heikko Kallakas, Nayomi Plaza, Casey Crooks, Derek Turner, Mathew Gargulak, Matthew A. Arvanitis, Charles R. Frihart and Christopher G. Hunt
Polymers 2024, 16(2), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16020202 - 10 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2034
Abstract
Soy is considered one of the most promising natural materials for manufacturing wood adhesives due to its low cost, high protein content, and ready availability. However, more cost-effective ways of improving its wet shear strength are needed to achieve wider market acceptance. Protein [...] Read more.
Soy is considered one of the most promising natural materials for manufacturing wood adhesives due to its low cost, high protein content, and ready availability. However, more cost-effective ways of improving its wet shear strength are needed to achieve wider market acceptance. Protein adhesive wet strength depends on the use of (typically expensive) crosslinking additives as well as the processing/denaturation of the protein. It has been commonly stated in the literature that protein denaturation leads to higher bond strength by activating the surface and exposing the reactive groups. Therefore, we investigated how differences in surface reactive groups (surface hydrophobicity and reactive amine groups) brought on with different denaturation treatments relate to bonding performance. Fourteen soy protein isolates (SPIs) with different denaturation histories were investigated. Characterization of the SPIs included surface hydrophobicity, surface amine content, extent of protein hydrolysis, and bond strength (wet and dry, with and without polyamidoamine epichlorohydrin (PAE) crosslinking agent) by ASTM D7998. The molecular weight patterns showed that proteins denatured by extensive hydrolysis had very low bond strengths. Adding the crosslinker, PAE, improved all the shear strength values. We found that the number of water-accessible reactive amine groups on protein surfaces had no impact on the adhesive strength, even with the amine-reactive crosslinker, PAE. Conversely, increased surface hydrophobicity was beneficial to adhesive strength in all cases, though this correlation was only statistically significant for wet strength without PAE. While, in general, denatured proteins are typically thought to form better bonds than native state proteins, this work suggests that it matters how proteins are denatured, and what surfaces become exposed. Denaturation by hydrolysis did not improve bond strength, and extensive hydrolysis seemed highly detrimental. Moreover, exposing hydrophobic surface groups was beneficial, but exposing covalent bond-forming reactive amine groups was not. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Sustainable and Recyclable Polymers)
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11 pages, 7155 KiB  
Article
Curing Behavior of Sucrose with p-Toluenesulfonic Acid
by Shunsuke Sakai, Shuoye Chen, Miyuki Matsuo-Ueda and Kenji Umemura
Polymers 2023, 15(23), 4592; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234592 - 30 Nov 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1697
Abstract
With respect to the fossil resources shortage, the development of bio-based wood adhesives is an important research topic in wood science. There has been research on using sucrose for bio-based adhesives. However, a high acid catalyst content and a high hot-pressing temperature are [...] Read more.
With respect to the fossil resources shortage, the development of bio-based wood adhesives is an important research topic in wood science. There has been research on using sucrose for bio-based adhesives. However, a high acid catalyst content and a high hot-pressing temperature are required when manufacturing particleboards. In this study, to explore the possibility of p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) as a promising acid catalyst for sucrose-based adhesives, the curing behavior of sucrose with PTSA (Suc-PTSA) was clarified. The thermal analysis results showed that the thermal properties of sucrose decreased significantly with the addition of PTSA. Based on the results of the insoluble matter rate, the optimal mixture ratio and heating conditions were determined to be 95:5 and 180 °C for 10 min, respectively. According to the results of FT−IR, the heat-treated Suc-PTSA contained furan compounds. In the context of the dynamic viscoelasticity, the onset temperature at which the storage modulus (E′) begins to rise was significantly lower than those of the other sucrose-based adhesives. PTSA has the potential to cure sucrose more efficiently and at lower temperatures than previous sucrose-based adhesives, making it a promising acid catalyst for sucrose. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Sustainable and Recyclable Polymers)
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