Lin Jia, Qiang He^*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.43, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2026.077807 - 03 April 2026

Abstract Aerogels, renowned as ultra-lightweight solids with exceptional porosity and specific surface area, have emerged as pivotal materials for thermal insulation, catalysis, energy storage, and biomedicine. This review comprehensively evaluates the recent strides in sustainable, high-performance cellulose-based aerogels, emphasizing their fabrication, functionalization, and application prospects. It details the extraction of cellulose from diverse sources and its subsequent processing into nanocellulose (e.g., cellulose nanofibrils and nanocrystals), which serves as the fundamental building block for aerogel synthesis. The critical sol-gel transition, solvent selection, and the pivotal role of drying techniques—freeze-drying, supercritical drying, and ambient pressure drying—in determining final… More >

Yujie Zhang, Yankai Zhao, Zhuang Zhao, Mengmeng Shan, Bochen Xu, Haoquan Xue, Junxuan Xu, Fan Wu, Qiang He^*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.43, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2026.076617 - 03 April 2026

Abstract This study presents a sustainable approach for the valorization of spent coffee grounds (CG) by converting them into carboxylated cellulose nanofibrils (CG-TCNF) via formic acid/hydrogen peroxide pretreatment followed by TEMPO/NaClO/NaClO₂-mediated oxidation. The pretreatment efficiently removed lignin, hemicellulose, and other non-cellulosic components, yielding purified cellulose (CG-C) with high crystallinity (CrI = 84%). Subsequent regioselective oxidation introduced carboxyl groups at the C6 position of cellulose chains, achieving a high carboxylate content of 1.4 mmol/g. The resulting CG-TCNF exhibited a well-dispersed nanofibrillar morphology with an average width of 3.57 nm and a high specific surface area of 265 m²/g. More >

Dongwei Shao, Hao Sun, Qi Wang, Ping Han, Yiwei Liu, Jiyi Luan, Lin Jia, Qiang He, Bo Cui^*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.43, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2026.074541 - 03 April 2026

Abstract The valorization of agricultural waste into high-value nanomaterials is crucial for advancing sustainable biorefineries. This study presents an efficient approach for extracting carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from poplar leaf waste (PL), an abundant and underutilized biomass. The process involved alkaline treatment and hydrogen peroxide bleaching to purify cellulose (PL-CEL), followed by sequential periodate-chlorite oxidation to produce dicarboxylic cellulose nanocrystals (PL-CNCs). The resulting nanocrystals were comprehensively characterized using compositional analysis, XRD, FTIR, TEM, TGA, and zeta potential measurements. XRD analysis confirmed a high crystallinity index of 82% for PL-CEL, which decreased to 72.2% after oxidation due… More >

Edja Florentin Assanvo^1,*, N’Dri N’Guessan Gervais Ziabo¹, Kohi Alfred Kouame², David Boa¹

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.43, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2026.073634 - 03 April 2026

Abstract This study aims to synthesise, characterise and evaluate the performance characteristics of packaging films based on biodegradable natural resources incorporated with nanoparticles. Particularly, it is focused on the valorisation of the fibers from the underexploited Lonchocarpus cyanescens plant from West Africa as raw renewable lignocellulose biomass material source for the production of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). To this end, biodegradable films were prepared from CMC derived from the fibers of the Lonchocarpus cyanescens plant, and collagen. In order to improve the properties of these films, in particular their mechanical and humidity resistance and their ability to fight microbes, silver… More >

José Marcelo Faria de Queiroz Júnior¹, Nathália Ramos de Melo^2,3, Ulisses Oliveira Costa¹, Letícia Vitorazi^1,*, Flavia Lega Braghiroli^4,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.14, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0163 - 25 February 2026

Abstract The development of sustainable materials has encouraged the use of biopolymers as alternatives to synthetic polymers. Polymeric films have stood out for their high potential in environmentally sustainable applications. Conventional cellulose acetate (CA)-based films are attractive due to their biodegradability and film-forming ability. However, their functional performance often requires enhancement through the incorporation of additives. In this context, two bio-based additives were investigated: condensed tannin (0%, 5% and 10%wt.), a natural polyphenol known for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and nanocrystalline cellulose (CNC) (0%, 0.5% and 1%wt.), which act as reinforcing agents to improve mechanical… More > Graphic Abstract

Rasdianah Dahali¹, Edi Syams Zainudin^1,2,*, Mohammed Abdillah Ahmad Farid¹, Tarique Jamal³, Mohd Sapuan Salit^1,2, Muhammad Firdaus Abdul Halim²

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.14, No.2, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0139 - 25 February 2026

Abstract This review draws attention to the innovative use of arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea) fiber as a unique and underutilized biomass source for nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC)-based nanocomposites, presenting a noteworthy alternative to extensively researched materials like wood pulp, bacterial cellulose, and chemically modified NCCs. In contrast to traditional sources, arrowroot possesses a naturally elevated cellulose and diminished lignin content, facilitating more effective NCC extraction requiring reduced chemical input and enabling environmentally friendly processing techniques. The review evaluates the performance of arrowroot-derived nanocomposites against systems documented in the literature, including NCC-based shape memory composites and nanoparticle-reinforced films, demonstrating enhanced More > Graphic Abstract

Cheng Zhang, Rui Zhang, Yu Shao, Jiabin Wang, Qianyue Yang, Fang Xie, Rongling Yang, Hongzhen Luo^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.14, No.1, 2026, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0157 - 23 January 2026

Abstract Biomass is a resource whose organic carbon is formed from atmospheric carbon dioxide. It has numerous characteristics such as low carbon emissions, renewability, and environmental friendliness. The efficient utilization of biomass plays a significant role in promoting the development of clean energy, alleviating environmental pressures, and achieving carbon neutrality goals. Among the numerous processing technologies of biomass, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising thermochemical process that can decompose and convert biomass into hydrochar under relatively mild conditions of approximately 180°C–300°C, thereby enabling its efficient resource utilization. In addition, HTC can directly process feedstocks with high… More >

Zhimin Zhao, Liyun Feng, Dongsheng Song, Ming Zhang^*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.42, No.4, pp. 929-957, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2025.074529 - 26 December 2025

Abstract Global water pollution is becoming increasingly serious, and compound pollutants such as heavy metals and organic dyes pose multidimensional threats to ecology and human health. Metal-organic skeleton compounds (MOFs) have been proven to be highly efficient in capturing a variety of pollutants by virtue of their large specific surface area, adjustable pore channels, and abundant active sites. However, the easy agglomeration of powders, the difficulty of recycling, and the poor long-term stability have limited their practical applications. Cellulose, as the most abundant renewable polymer in nature, has the characteristics of a three-dimensional network, mechanical flexibility,… More >

Jiling Song¹, Hua Wang^2,*, Jianbing Guo¹, Minghua Lin², Bin Zheng^2,*, Jiqiang Wu^3,*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.42, No.4, pp. 1143-1157, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2025.073414 - 26 December 2025

Abstract The pursuit of safer energy storage systems is driving the development of advanced electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries. Traditional liquid electrolytes pose flammability risks, while solid-state alternatives often suffer from low ionic conductivity. Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) emerge as a promising compromise, combining the safety of solids with the ionic conductivity of liquids. Cellulose, an abundant and eco-friendly polymer, presents an ideal base material for sustainable GPEs due to its biocompatibility and mechanical strength. This study systematically investigates how drying methods affect cellulose-based GPEs. Cellulose hydrogels were synthesized through dissolution-crosslinking and processed using vacuum drying (VD),… More >

Valentina Sergeevna Borovkova^1,2,*, Yuriy Nikolaevich Malyar^1,2, Vladislav Alexandrovich Ionin^1,2, Alexander Sergeevich Kazachenko^1,2

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.13, No.12, pp. 2281-2296, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0067 - 23 December 2025

Abstract The valorization of plant biomass towards high-value chemicals is a global trend aimed at solving the problem of the huge accumulation of lignocellulosic waste. Plant polysaccharides are natural polymers that make up about 20% by weight of biomass, with a unique variety of structures and properties that depend on the type of raw materials and the method of their extraction. In this study, the effect of variability of the oxidative delignification process conditions in the «acetic acid-hydrogen peroxide-water-(NH₄)₆Mo₇O₂₄» on the extraction and properties of aspen (Populus tremula) wood hemicelluloses was investigated for the first time. The developed… More > Graphic Abstract