polymers-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Biomass-Derived Biodegradable Polymers: Extraction, Synthesis and Applications

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2022) | Viewed by 13577

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello” of CNR, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
Interests: starch; cellulose; biomass monomers; photomobile polymers; Thermoplastic material; nanocomposites; nanocellulose

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant and Environment Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1871 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Interests: starch; thermoplastic starch; nanocellulose extraction; nanocomposites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over many years, the production of non-biodegradable polymers increased, leading to the dispersion of micro-plastics that became a serious environmental threat.
Industries produce multimillion tons of underutilized side-streams. Many of these, e.g., residual bark from paper production, brewers spent grain, sugar beet, and potato pulp, provide a valuable bio-resource of robust, functional, and biodegradable polymers. Fundamental examples are polysaccharides (starch, cellulose) or natural polyesters (suberin). These polymers represent a valid green alternative for non-biodegradable alternatives. Furthermore, highly valuable monomers can be extracted from these sources that could be the base for a revolutionary and green future.
The proposed Special Issue will address diverse topics related to polymers from renewable sources:
• Production, functionalization, and application of materials based on thermoplastic polysaccharides
• Novel approaches for extraction and reutilization of monomers (FFA, terpenes) from biomass
• Biomass processing for bio-polyester synthesis
• Natural biomass extracted additives for bioplastics: plasticizers and functional compounds
• Nanocomposite production of natural and synthesized polymers
• Processing of biomass feedstocks to produce biobased building blocks for polymer synthesis
• Renewable approaches for polymer synthesis
• Advanced characterization of bioplastics

Dr. Domenico Sagnelli
Prof. Dr. Andreas Blennow
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

  • polysaccharides
  • starch
  • nanocellulose
  • suberin
  • EFA
  • bio-blocks
  • biomass
  • PHA
  • green synthesis
  • polyesters
  • PLA
  • nanocomposites
  • materials
  • food
  • biotech
  • functionalization
  • grafting

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 (3 papers)

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

Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 12825 KiB  
Article
Preparation of Komagataeibacter xylinus Inoculum for Bacterial Cellulose Biosynthesis Using Magnetically Assisted External-Loop Airlift Bioreactor
by Anna Żywicka, Daria Ciecholewska-Juśko, Radosław Drozd, Rafał Rakoczy, Maciej Konopacki, Marian Kordas, Adam Junka, Paweł Migdał and Karol Fijałkowski
Polymers 2021, 13(22), 3950; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13223950 - 15 Nov 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5182
Abstract
The aim of this study was to demonstrate the applicability of a novel magnetically assisted external-loop airlift bioreactor (EL-ALB), equipped with rotating magnetic field (RMF) generators for the preparation of Komagataeibacterxylinus inoculum during three-cycle repeated fed-batch cultures, further used for bacterial cellulose [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to demonstrate the applicability of a novel magnetically assisted external-loop airlift bioreactor (EL-ALB), equipped with rotating magnetic field (RMF) generators for the preparation of Komagataeibacterxylinus inoculum during three-cycle repeated fed-batch cultures, further used for bacterial cellulose (BC) production. The fermentation carried out in the RMF-assisted EL-ALB allowed to obtain an inoculum of more than 200× higher cellular density compared to classical methods of inoculum preparation. The inoculum obtained in the RMF-assisted EL-ALB was characterized by a high and stable metabolic activity during repeated batch fermentation process. The application of the RMF-assisted EL-ALB for K. xylinus inoculum production did not induce the formation of cellulose-deficient mutants. It was also confirmed that the ability of K. xylinus to produce BC was at the same level (7.26 g/L of dry mass), regardless of inoculum age. Additionally, the BC obtained from the inoculum produced in the RMF-assisted EL-ALB was characterized by reproducible water-related properties, mechanical strength, nano-fibrillar structure and total crystallinity index. The lack of any negative impact of inoculum preparation method using RMF-assisted EL-ALB on BC properties is of paramount value for its future applications, including use as a biomaterial in tissue engineering, wound healing, and drug delivery, where especially BC liquid capacity, nanostructure, crystallinity, and mechanical properties play essential roles. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 4052 KiB  
Article
Functionalisable Epoxy-rich Electrospun Fibres Based on Renewable Terpene for Multi-Purpose Applications
by Ulisse Montanari, Davide Cocchi, Tommaso Maria Brugo, Antonino Pollicino, Vincenzo Taresco, Maria Romero Fernandez, Jonathan C. Moore, Domenico Sagnelli, Francesca Paradisi, Andrea Zucchelli, Steven M. Howdle and Chiara Gualandi
Polymers 2021, 13(11), 1804; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13111804 - 30 May 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3480
Abstract
New bio-based polymers capable of either outperforming fossil-based alternatives or possessing new properties and functionalities are of relevant interest in the framework of the circular economy. In this work, a novel bio-based polycarvone acrylate di-epoxide (PCADE) was used as an additive in a [...] Read more.
New bio-based polymers capable of either outperforming fossil-based alternatives or possessing new properties and functionalities are of relevant interest in the framework of the circular economy. In this work, a novel bio-based polycarvone acrylate di-epoxide (PCADE) was used as an additive in a one-step straightforward electrospinning process to endow the fibres with functionalisable epoxy groups at their surface. To demonstrate the feasibility of the approach, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fibres loaded with different amounts of PCADE were prepared. A thorough characterisation by TGA, DSC, DMTA and XPS showed that the two polymers are immiscible and that PCADE preferentially segregates at the fibre surface, thus developing a very simple one-step approach to the preparation of ready-to-use surface functionalisable fibres. We demonstrated this by exploiting the epoxy groups at the PVDF fibre surface in two very different applications, namely in epoxy-based carbon fibre reinforced composites and membranes for ω-transaminase enzyme immobilisation for heterogeneous catalysis. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

22 pages, 1008 KiB  
Review
High Amylose-Based Bio Composites: Structures, Functions and Applications
by Marwa Faisal, Tingting Kou, Yuyue Zhong and Andreas Blennow
Polymers 2022, 14(6), 1235; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14061235 - 18 Mar 2022
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3998
Abstract
As biodegradable and eco-friendly bio-resources, polysaccharides from a wide range of sources show steadily increasing interest. The increasing fossil-based production of materials are heavily associated with environmental and climate concerns, these biopolymers are addressing such concerns in important areas such as food and [...] Read more.
As biodegradable and eco-friendly bio-resources, polysaccharides from a wide range of sources show steadily increasing interest. The increasing fossil-based production of materials are heavily associated with environmental and climate concerns, these biopolymers are addressing such concerns in important areas such as food and biomedical applications. Among polysaccharides, high amylose starch (HAS) has made major progress to marketable products due to its unique properties and enhanced nutritional values in food applications. While high amylose-maize, wheat, barley and potato are commercially available, HAS variants of other crops have been developed recently and is expected to be commercially available in the near future. This review edifies various forms and processing techniques used to produce HAS-based polymers and composites addressing their favorable properties as compared to normal starch. Low toxic and high compatibility natural plasticizers are of great concern in the processing of HAS. Further emphasis, is also given to some essential film properties such as mechanical and barrier properties for HAS-based materials. The functionality of HAS-based functionality can be improved by using different fillers as well as by modulating the inherent structures of HAS. We also identify specific opportunities for HAS-based food and biomedical fabrications aiming to produce cheaper, better, and more eco-friendly materials. We acknowledge that a multidisciplinary approach is required to achieve further improvement of HAS-based products providing entirely new types of sustainable materials. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop