A Virtual Issue ofMacromolecules: “Polymers from Renewable Resources”

Nanoparticles from renewable polymers

The use of polymers from natural resources can bring many benefits for novel polymeric nanoparticle systems. Such polymers have a variety of beneficial properties such as biodegradability and biocompatibility, they are readily available on large scale and at low cost. As the amount of fossil fuels decrease, their application becomes more interesting even if characterization is in many cases mor...

An introduction to the virtual issue on coordination polymers.

Four Carbon Oxychemicals from Renewable Resources

Butanol, butyric acid and butyraldehyde are important 4-carbon oxychemicals typically generated from petro-chemical sources. All have significant markets in the food industry either for direct use as flavorings or as chemical feedstocks for generating butyric acid and butyraldehyde derived flavour compounds. Strong consumer sentiment against the consumption of petro-chemical derived products yi...

Hierarchical Composites Made Entirely from Renewable Resources

Recent interest in the utilisation of greener materials has reinitiated the interest in natural fibres and/or fibrils as reinforcement for polymers. However, such bio-based composites often exhibit properties that fall short of expectations due to (i) inadequate processing conditions, resulting in filler agglomeration and poor filler dispersion within the matrix, (ii) variations in natural fibr...

Ulvan: A Versatile Platform of Biomaterials from Renewable Resources

Biomass represents an abundant renewable resource for the production of bioenergy and biomaterials and its exploitation could lead to overcome the dependence from petroleum resources. Indeed fossil energy and chemical sources are not unlimited and there is a critical need to turn the current way of life back to a sustainable manner. The conversion of biomasses into high value chemicals, energy ...