polymers-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Sustainable Polymers: Design, Synthesis and Recycling

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 September 2024) | Viewed by 1795

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Av. Universitaria 1801, Lima 15088, Peru
Interests: biopolymers; nanocomposites; biological systems; starch; bacterial cellulose

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymers are among the most important materials in modern society due to their low cost, adjustable mechanical properties, and ease of processing. However, the use of traditional synthetic polymers is associated with significant environmental impacts. One of the initial responses to this issue was the utilization of biopolymers, such as starch and proteins. However, it is crucial to assess the land, water, and energy consumption involved in the processing of these biobased materials in order to accurately evaluate their environmental impact. Sustainable polymers are derived from renewable, recycled, or other lower-carbon feedstocks. Most importantly, at the end of life (EoL), they are managed in environmentally responsible ways through recycling and biodegradation. Sustainable polymers include not only bio-based polymers but also synthetic polymers that are sustainable throughout their life cycle, following a cradle-to-cradle approach in line with a circular economy model. The applications of sustainable polymers include their use as packaging materials, sustainable composites, coatings, adhesives, and in novel emerging fields, such as the biomedical and microelectronic industries, as well as energy applications.

Prof. Dr. Omar P. Troncoso
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

  • biopolymers
  • natural
  • sustainable
  • renewable
  • end of life (EOL)
  • bio-based
  • recycling
  • cradle-to-cradle
  • polysaccharides
  • cellulose
  • proteins

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 556 KiB  
Article
Compositional Analysis and Mechanical Recycling of Polymer Fractions Recovered via the Industrial Sorting of Post-Consumer Plastic Waste: A Case Study toward the Implementation of Artificial Intelligence Databases
by Federico Olivieri, Antonino Caputo, Daniele Leonetti, Rachele Castaldo, Roberto Avolio, Mariacristina Cocca, Maria Emanuela Errico, Luigi Iannotta, Maurizio Avella, Cosimo Carfagna and Gennaro Gentile
Polymers 2024, 16(20), 2898; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16202898 - 15 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1369
Abstract
Nowadays, society is oriented toward reducing the production of plastics, which have a significant impact on the environment. In this context, the recycling of existing plastic objects is currently a fundamental step in the mitigation of pollution. Very recently, the outstanding development of [...] Read more.
Nowadays, society is oriented toward reducing the production of plastics, which have a significant impact on the environment. In this context, the recycling of existing plastic objects is currently a fundamental step in the mitigation of pollution. Very recently, the outstanding development of artificial intelligence (AI) has concerned and continues to involve a large part of the industrial and informatics sectors. The opportunity to implement big data in the frame of recycling processes is oriented toward the improvement and the optimization of the reproduction of plastic objects, possibly with enhanced properties and durability. Here, a deep cataloguing, characterization and recycling of plastic wastes provided by an industrial sorting plant was performed. The potential improvement of the mechanical properties of the recycled polymers was assessed by the addition of coupling agents. On these bases, a classification system based on the collected results of the recycled materials’ properties was developed, with the aim of laying the groundwork for the improvement of AI databases and helpfully supporting industrial recycling processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Polymers: Design, Synthesis and Recycling)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop