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Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 49336

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. André Ricardo Fajardo

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Center of Chemical Sciences, Pharmaceutical and Food (CCQFA) Universidade Federal de Pelotas, 96010-900 Pelotas RS, Brazil
Interests: biopolymers; polysaccharides; polymer materials; polymer composites; polymer modifications; hydrogels; biomaterials; delivery systems; hydrid materials; supported catalysts; environmental remediation; adsorption; responsible materials; chitosan; starch; alginate; pectin; glycosaminoglycans

Prof. Ismael Bellettini

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Departamento de Ciências Exatas e Educação, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Blumenau, SC 89036-256, Brazil
Interests: polymers; polyelectrolyte; nanoparticles; self-assemby; ligth scattering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of polymers as platforms to design new materials for biological and agricultural applications has experienced noticeable growth in the past few decades. The many advantages offered by polymers as compared with other materials can explain this success. Ease of processing, flexibility regarding shape and geometry, and tailorable and modifiable properties are just some of their advantages. Moreover, the increased use of biopolymers has allowed us to overcome limitations related to toxicity, cost, availability, and degradability. These features have motivated researchers in different areas to develop advanced materials with broad applicability, particularly in biomedical and agricultural fields.

This Special Issue of Polymers, entitled "Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications", aims to present a collection of original research and review articles that deal with the development, characterization, and application of polymer-based materials in these two prominent research areas. Authors are invited to share recent advances in polymer-based materials and composites developed and applied for biological (e.g., delivery systems, tissue engineering, biomedical applications) and agricultural (e.g., delivery systems, soil conditioners, biosorbents) uses and their perspectives on the future of these exciting materials. We look forward to receiving your contribution to this Special Issue!

Prof. André Ricardo Fajardo
Prof. Ismael Bellettini
Guest Editors

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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.

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Keywords

biopolymers
advanced materials
polymer-based materials
polymer composites
polymer nanoparticles
responsive systems
delivery systems
tissue engineering
wound dressing
scaffolding
biomedical devices
soil conditioners
soil amendment
water holders
biosorbents
hydrogels
superabsorbent polymers

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 8315 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Desiccation Cracking Behavior of Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Reinforced Cohesive Soils

by Michael Z. Izzo and Marta Miletić

Polymers 2022, 14(7), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14071318 - 24 Mar 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2281

Abstract

Desiccation cracking of cohesive soils is the development of cracks on the soil surface as a result of a reduction in water content. The formation of desiccation cracks on the cohesive soil surface has an undesirable impact on the mechanical, hydrological, and physicochemical soil properties. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to experimentally and numerically investigate eco-friendly soil improvement additives and their effect on the desiccation cracking behavior of soils. Improvement of soil crack resistance was experimentally studied by conducting desiccation cracking tests on kaolin clay. Biopolymer xanthan gum and recycled carpet fibers were studied as potential sustainable soil improvement additives. In addition, image processing was conducted to describe the effect of an additive on the geometrical characteristics of crack patterns. The results show that the soil improvement additives generally enhanced the soil strength and reduced cracking. Furthermore, a hydro-mechanical model was developed to predict the moisture transfer and onset of desiccation cracks in plain and amended kaolin clays. Data obtained show that the inception of the desiccation cracking and radial displacements were delayed in the improved soil specimens, which is in agreement with the experimental data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications)

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21 pages, 5311 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Macroscopic Stress-Strain Response and Strain-Localization Behavior of Biopolymer-Treated Soil

by Antonio Soldo, Victor Aguilar and Marta Miletić

Polymers 2022, 14(5), 997; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14050997 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3104

Abstract

The enhancement of soil engineering properties with biopolymers has been shown recently as a viable and environmentally benign alternative to cement and chemical stabilization. Interest in biopolymer-treated soil is evident from the upsurge of related research activities in the last five years, most of which have been experimental in nature. However, biopolymers have not yet found their way into engineering practice. One of the reasons for this may be the absence of computational models that would allow engineers to incorporate biopolymer-treated soil into their designs. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to numerically capture a macroscopic stress-strain response and investigate the effect of biopolymers on the onset of strain localization. Several diagnostic strain-localization analyses were conducted, thus providing strain and stress levels at the onset of strain localization, along with the orientations of the deformation band. Several unconfined compression and triaxial tests on the plain and biopolymer-treated soils were modeled. Results showed that biopolymers significantly improved the mechanical behavior of the soil and affected the onset of strain localization. The numerical results were confirmed by the digital image analysis of the unconfined compression tests. Digital image processing successfully captured high strain concentrations, which tended to occur close to the peak stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications)

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18 pages, 11624 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bacterial Alginate-Based Hydrogel Reduces Hydro-Mechanical Soil-Related Problems in Agriculture Facing Climate Change

by Cesar Barrientos-Sanhueza, Danny Cargnino-Cisternas, Alvaro Díaz-Barrera and Italo F. Cuneo

Polymers 2022, 14(5), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14050922 - 25 Feb 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2421

Abstract

Agricultural systems are facing the negative impacts of erosion and water scarcity, directly impacting the hydro-mechanical behavior of soil aggregation. Several technologies have been proposed to reduce hydro-mechanical soil-related problems in agriculture. Biopolymer-based hydrogels have been reported to be a great tool to tackle these problems in soils. In this study, we investigated the hydro-mechanical behavior of different soils media treated with Ca-bacterial alginate hydrogel. We used an unconfined uniaxial compression test, aggregate stability test and hydraulic conductivity measurements to investigate the mechanical and hydraulic behavior of treated soils media. Our results from unconfined uniaxial compression test showed that yield stress (i.e., strength) increased in treated soils with higher kaolinite and water content (i.e., HCM3), compared with untreated coarse quartz sand (i.e., CM1). Furthermore, we found that temperature is an important factor in the gelation capacity of our hydrogel. At room temperature, HCM3 displayed the higher aggregate stability, almost 5.5-fold compared with treated coarse quartz sand (HCM1), while this differential response was not sustained at warm temperature. In general, the addition of different quantities of kaolinite decreased the saturated hydraulic conductivity for all treatments. Finally, bright field microscopy imaging represents the soil media matrix between sand and clay particles with Ca-bacterial alginate hydrogel that modify the hydro-mechanical behavior of different soils media. The results of this study could be helpful for the soil-related problems in agriculture facing the negative effects of climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications)

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17 pages, 1984 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Structural and Physicochemical Properties of Tunisian Quercus suber L. Starches for Custard Formulation: A Comparative Study

by Youkabed Zarroug, Mouna Boulares, Dorra Sfayhi, Bechir Slimi, Bouthaina Stiti, Kamel Zaieni, Sirine Nefissi and Mohamed Kharrat

Polymers 2022, 14(3), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14030556 - 29 Jan 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3402

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to extract starch from acorn (Quercus suber L.) fruits using water and alkaline methods. Structural and functional properties of extracted starches were investigated and compared to those of corn and modified starches in order to determine their innovative potential application in food industry. The yield of extraction using the two methods was about 48.32% and 48.1%. The isolated starches showed low moisture, fat and protein contents, revealing high purity and quality. Additionally, the starch extracted using the alkaline method (AAS) showed higher lightness (60.41) when compared to starch isolated using hot water (WAS). However, the lightest white color was found for studied commercial starches. Moreover, AAS starch exhibited the highest swelling power, solubility and water absorption, followed by WAS and commercial starches. Results showed that extracted acorn starches were characterized by greater enthalpy and gelatinization temperatures. Similar observations were noted using FT-IR spectra analysis for all analyzed starches. In addition, granule starches observed using scanning electron microscopy were found to be spherical and ovoid. However, from the analysis by X-ray diffraction, a crystalline pattern of C-type was found for acorn starches, while commercial starches presented an A-type pattern. As an innovative food application, these underexploited acorn starches were valued and served to produce new custards with improved functional properties and better microstructure when compared to commercial custard. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications)

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20 pages, 40132 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrogel Alginate Seed Coating as an Innovative Method for Delivering Nutrients at the Early Stages of Plant Growth

by Dawid Skrzypczak, Łukasz Jarzembowski, Grzegorz Izydorczyk, Katarzyna Mikula, Viktoria Hoppe, Karolina Anna Mielko, Natalia Pudełko-Malik, Piotr Młynarz, Katarzyna Chojnacka and Anna Witek-Krowiak

Polymers 2021, 13(23), 4233; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13234233 - 2 Dec 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 8230

Abstract

Seed coating containing fertilizer nutrients and plant growth biostimulants is an innovative technique for precision agriculture. Nutrient delivery can also be conducted through multilayer seed coating. For this purpose, sodium alginate with NPK, which was selected in a preliminary selection study, crosslinked with divalent ions (Cu(II), Mn(II), Zn(II)) as a source of fertilizer micronutrients, was used to produce seed coating. The seeds were additionally coated with a solution containing amino acids derived from high-protein material. Amino acids can be obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of mealworm larvae (Gly 71.2 ± 0.6 mM, Glu 55.8 ± 1.3 mM, Pro 48.8 ± 1.5 mM, Ser 31.4 ± 1.5 mM). The formulations were applied in different doses per 100 g of seeds: 35 mL, 70 mL, 105 mL, and 140 mL. SEM-EDX surface analysis showed that 70 mL of formulation/100 g of seeds formed a continuity of coatings but did not result in a uniform distribution of components on the surface. Extraction tests proved simultaneous low leaching of nutrients into water (max. 10%), showing a slow release pattern. There occurred high bioavailability of fertilizer nutrients (even up to 100%). Pot tests on cucumbers (Cornichon de Paris) confirmed the new method’s effectiveness, yielding a 50% higher fresh sprout weight and four times greater root length than uncoated seeds. Seed coating with hydrogel has a high potential for commercial application, stimulating the early growth of plants and thus leading to higher crop yields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications)

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13 pages, 1800 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Situ Grafting of Silica Nanoparticle Precursors with Covalently Attached Bioactive Agents to Form PVA-Based Materials for Sustainable Active Packaging

by Miri Klein, Anat Molad Filossof, Idan Ashur, Sefi Vernick, Michal Natan-Warhaftig, Victor Rodov, Ehud Banin and Elena Poverenov

Polymers 2021, 13(17), 2889; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13172889 - 27 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2518

Abstract

Sustainable antibacterial–antioxidant films were prepared using in situ graftings of silica nanoparticle (SNP) precursors with covalently attached bioactive agents benzoic acid (ba) or curcumin (cur) on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The modified PVA-SNP, PVA-SNP-ba and PVA-SNP-cur films were characterized using spectroscopic, physicochemical and microscopic methods. The prepared films showed excellent antibacterial and antioxidant activity, and increased hydrophobicity providing protection from undesired moisture. The PVA-SNP-ba films completely prevented the growth of the foodborne human pathogen Listeria innocua, whereas PVA-SNP-cur resulted in a 2.5 log reduction of this bacteria. The PVA-SNP-cur and PVA-SNP-ba films showed high antioxidant activity of 15.9 and 14.7 Mm/g TEAC, respectively. The described approach can serve as a generic platform for the formation of PVA-based packaging materials with tailor-made activity tuned by active substituents on silica precursors. Application of such biodegradable films bearing safe bioactive agents can be particularly valuable for advanced sustainable packaging materials in food and medicine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications)

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Review

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16 pages, 1546 KiB

Open AccessReview

Application of Chitosan and Its Derivative Polymers in Clinical Medicine and Agriculture

by Meng Zhang, Fengshi Zhang, Ci Li, Heng An, Teng Wan and Peixun Zhang

Polymers 2022, 14(5), 958; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14050958 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 60 | Viewed by 7017

Abstract

Chitosan is a biodegradable natural polymer derived from the exoskeleton of crustaceans. Because of its biocompatibility and non-biotoxicity, chitosan is widely used in the fields of medicine and agriculture. With the latest technology and technological progress, different active functional groups can be connected by modification, surface modification, or other configurations with various physical, chemical, and biological properties. These changes can significantly expand the application range and efficacy of chitosan polymers. This paper reviews the different uses of chitosan, such as catheter bridging to repair nerve broken ends, making wound auxiliaries, as tissue engineering repair materials for bone or cartilage, or as carriers for a variety of drugs to expand the volume or slow-release and even show potential in the fight against COVID-19. In addition, it is also discussed that chitosan in agriculture can improve the growth of crops and can be used as an antioxidant coating because its natural antibacterial properties are used alone or in conjunction with a variety of endophytic bacteria and metal ions. Generally speaking, chitosan is a kind of polymer material with excellent development prospects in medicine and agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications)

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35 pages, 2794 KiB

Open AccessReview

Polymer-Based Wound Dressing Materials Loaded with Bioactive Agents: Potential Materials for the Treatment of Diabetic Wounds

by Sibusiso Alven, Sijongesonke Peter, Zintle Mbese and Blessing A. Aderibigbe

Polymers 2022, 14(4), 724; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14040724 - 14 Feb 2022

Cited by 114 | Viewed by 14641

Abstract

Diabetic wounds are severe injuries that are common in patients that suffer from diabetes. Most of the presently employed wound dressing scaffolds are inappropriate for treating diabetic wounds. Improper treatment of diabetic wounds usually results in amputations. The shortcomings that are related to the currently used wound dressings include poor antimicrobial properties, inability to provide moisture, weak mechanical features, poor biodegradability, and biocompatibility, etc. To overcome the poor mechanical properties, polymer-based wound dressings have been designed from the combination of biopolymers (natural polymers) (e.g., chitosan, alginate, cellulose, chitin, gelatin, etc.) and synthetic polymers (e.g., poly (vinyl alcohol), poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid), polylactide, poly-glycolic acid, polyurethanes, etc.) to produce effective hybrid scaffolds for wound management. The loading of bioactive agents or drugs into polymer-based wound dressings can result in improved therapeutic outcomes such as good antibacterial or antioxidant activity when used in the treatment of diabetic wounds. Based on the outstanding performance of polymer-based wound dressings on diabetic wounds in the pre-clinical experiments, the in vivo and in vitro therapeutic results of the wound dressing materials on the diabetic wound are hereby reviewed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications)

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20 pages, 2890 KiB

Open AccessReview

Alginic Acid Polymer-Hydroxyapatite Composites for Bone Tissue Engineering

by Rebecca Sikkema, Blanca Keohan and Igor Zhitomirsky

Polymers 2021, 13(18), 3070; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13183070 - 11 Sep 2021

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4358

Abstract

Natural bone is a composite organic-inorganic material, containing hydroxyapatite (HAP) as an inorganic phase. In this review, applications of natural alginic acid (ALGH) polymer for the fabrication of composites containing HAP are described. ALGH is used as a biocompatible structure directing, capping and dispersing agent for the synthesis of HAP. Many advanced techniques for the fabrication of ALGH-HAP composites are attributed to the ability of ALGH to promote biomineralization. Gel-forming and film-forming properties of ALGH are key factors for the development of colloidal manufacturing techniques. Electrochemical fabrication techniques are based on strong ALGH adsorption on HAP, pH-dependent charge and solubility of ALGH. Functional properties of advanced composite ALGH-HAP films and coatings, scaffolds, biocements, gels and beads are described. The composites are loaded with other functional materials, such as antimicrobial agents, drugs, proteins and enzymes. Moreover, the composites provided a platform for their loading with cells for the fabrication of composites with enhanced properties for various biomedical applications. This review summarizes manufacturing strategies, mechanisms and outlines future trends in the development of functional biocomposites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preparation of Polymer Materials and Their Biological and Agricultural Applications)

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