About this Research Topic

Background

Nowadays, a very important impetus for the development of new functional materials is not only their performance but also whether they are environmentally friendly. Bioplastics (bio-based or/and biodegradable plastics) as alternatives to non-degradable conventional plastics are of great importance from an application, environmental protection, and sustainable development point of view. Bio-based or/and (bio)degradable polymers are increasingly used in medicine as all kinds of medical devices, including packaging, generating new challenges, such as their tailored biodegradability and bioconversion, thus enabling a sustainable path for the medical devices market, leading ultimately to a circular economy. Green polymers, especially those that are (bio)degradable and/or derived from renewable raw materials, as economical and environmentally friendly materials, have a smaller carbon imprint and can help prevent and partially reduce waste disposal and contribute to the more sustainable life cycles.

The purpose of the current Research Topic is to provide a contemporary overview of the latest developments in the field of advanced polymer materials, in particular the latest breakthroughs and fresh approaches leading to the development of resource-efficient, eco-friendly, and sustainable next-generation bioplastics for the closed-loop economy. This Research Topic welcomes papers that address interdisciplinary approaches aimed at the development of (bio)degradable and/or renewable polymer materials for sustainable medical needs.

Research into the entire value chain of environmentally friendly and sustainable bioplastics with improved performance and at the same time inexpensive contributes to the faster development of many fields, including materials science. The development in the field of advanced polymeric materials can lead to numerous technological and material innovations, which is why it is extremely important to design new materials from (bio)degradable or/and bio-based polymers so that they are not only responsibly and sustainably adapted to new applications, but also safe for people and the environment. The level of reuse and recycling of used polymer materials is very low, and the current demand for recycled plastics is also slight. That is why the European strategy on plastics focuses on adapting EU legislation to the implementation of the circular economy principles. This strategy identifies the most important actions that national and regional authorities as well as industry should take.

The proposed scope concerns research on the development and manufacturing of innovative, technologically advanced materials that have general applicability and that form the basis for evolving knowledge about advanced polymeric materials. Particular emphasis will be placed on environmental-friendly materials, with no adverse effect on the environment, with a short global carbon life cycle, and/or suitable for recycling. Combining these with physicochemical studies will fill a gap in existing knowledge and allow for the design and identification of new resource-efficient, environmentally safe polymer materials for the circular economy.

Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, Mini Reviews, and Methods, covering aspects of the current trends in the expansion of such materials are all welcome. Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:

• Polymer materials for the sustainable future
• Materials based on biopolymers, (bio)degradable synthetic polymers as well as bio-based polymers
• Advanced materials in the medical, pharmaceutical, and dental industry
• Relationships between structure, properties, functions, and performance of polymer materials
• Synthesis, design, characterization, and development of innovative, technologically advanced, adaptable, and multifunctional materials
• A new generation of advanced polymeric materials with enhanced properties for the closed-loop economy

Keywords: bio-based polymer, (bio)degradable polymer, biocomposite, biomaterial, biopolymer, material structure and property, circularity

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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