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Biopolymers including natural (e.g., polysaccharides, proteins, gums, natural rubbers, bacterial polymers), synthetic (e.g., aliphatic polyesters and polyphosphoester), and biocomposites are of paramount interest in regenerative medicine, due to their availability, processability, and low toxicity. Moreover, the structuration of biopolymer-based materials at the nano- and microscale along with their chemical properties are crucial in the engineering of advanced carriers for drug products. Finally, combination products including or based on biopolymers for controlled drug release offer a powerful solution to improve the tissue integration and biological response of these materials. Understanding the drug delivery mechanisms, efficiency, and toxicity of such systems may be useful for regenerative medicine and pharmaceutical technology. The main aim of the Special Issue on “Biopolymers in Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine” is to gather recent findings and current advances on biopolymer research for biomedical applications, particularly in regenerative medicine, wound healing, and drug delivery. Contributions to this issue can be as original research or review articles and may cover all aspects of biopolymer research, ranging from the chemical synthesis and characterization of modified biopolymers, their processing in different morphologies and hierarchical structures, as well as their assessment for biomedical uses.

coating --- modification --- nanotechnology --- un-pigmented paints --- permeability --- pull-off --- artificial weathering --- coatings --- durability --- natural weathering --- oak wood --- wettability --- phenol --- carbohydrates --- beech --- birch --- spruce --- sessile oak --- wood --- surface modification --- esterification --- classic approaches --- modern approaches --- shelling --- western larch --- confocal profilometry --- profiling --- growth rings --- latewood --- earlywood --- pith-side-up --- bark-side-up --- spruce wood --- fungicides --- plasma --- UV-additives --- weathering --- adhesion --- caffeine --- TiO2 nanoparticles --- transparent coatings --- UV-resistance --- mould attack --- leaching --- micronized basic copper carbonate --- peroxide --- surface protection --- Norway spruce --- thermally treated wood --- DCSBD --- plasma treatment --- surface free energy

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The focus of this Special Issue was on biomass ash valorization with respect to their potential for various material applications. Most of the publications in this Special Issue focused on the production of biogenic silica with different properties. Additionally, some of the publications considered application of biomass ashes and biochar as a fertilizer, for soil amendment and recovery of ash forming elements such as N and P, as well as the application of biomass feedstocks in biofuel production.Accordingly, ashes produced from the thermochemical conversion of agricultural residues have high potential to be utilized for different material applications. However, local availability, as well as scaling up the process and life-cycle assessment should be considered prior to the utilization of these materials. Furthermore, densification as a mechanical pre-treatment can be crucial to improve the fuel properties, while purification of some of the ash forming elements, such as calcium, potassium, and prosperous should also not be disregarded in future investigations.

rice husk --- rice husk ash --- silica --- engineered particle --- bottom-up process --- silica extraction --- valorization --- agricultural byproduct --- sustainable material --- biomass --- renewable material --- biogenic amorphous silica --- green chemistry --- maize leaves --- sugarcane fiber --- sugarcane leaves --- sugarcane pith --- biorefinery --- multi-objectives RSM --- nano-silica --- de-ashing --- cellulose crystals --- carbon nanotubes --- cellulose --- sugarcane bagasse --- capacitance --- maize straw --- acid leaching --- ash --- pyrolysis --- nitrogen conversion --- wood ash --- fertilizer --- heat and power plants --- heavy metals --- nutrients --- German fertilizer legislation --- alkaline leaching --- continuous process --- bio-based material --- waste --- exhausted grape marc --- biochar --- soil amendment --- biogas --- lifecycle assessment --- greenhouse gas emissions --- mitigation potential --- GHG mitigation costs --- manure --- biomethane --- RED II --- EU ETS --- smoldering --- high moisture content --- specific surface area --- rice straw --- nanosilica --- methylene blue --- zero waste generation --- decolorization --- SDGs --- municipal sewage sludge --- energy recovery --- phosphorus recovery --- techno-economic analysis --- mono-combustion --- co-combustion --- n/a

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Entitled “Natural Fiber-Based Composites”, this Special Issue has the objective to give an inventory of the latest research in the area of composites reinforced with natural fibers. Fibers of renewable origin have many advantages. They are abundant and cheap, they have a reduced impact on the environment, and they are also independent from fossil resources. Their ability to mechanically reinforce thermoplastic matrices is well known, as their natural heat insulation ability. In the last twenty years, the use of cellulosic and lignocellulosic agricultural by-products for composite applications has been of great interest, especially for reinforcing matrices. The matrices can themselves be of renewable origin (e.g., proteins, starch, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polyamides, etc.), thus contributing to the development of 100% bio-based composites with a controlled end of life. This Special Issue’s objective is to give an inventory of the latest research in this area of composites reinforced with natural fibers, focusing in particular on the preparation and molding processes of such materials (e.g., extrusion, injection-molding, hot pressing, etc.) and their characterization. It contains one review and nineteen research reports authored by researchers from four continents and sixteen countries, namely, Brazil, China, France, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, and Vietnam. It provides an update on current research in the field of natural fiber based composite materials. All these contributions will be a source of inspiration for the development of new composites, especially for producers of natural fibers, polymer matrices of renewable origin and composite materials. Generally speaking, these new materials are environmentally friendly and will undoubtedly find numerous applications in the years to come in many sectors. Dr. Philippe Evon Guest Editor

Technology: general issues --- biopolymers --- sunflower protein concentrate --- municipal bio-waste --- urea --- slow-release fertilizers --- lime mortar --- mucilaginous plants --- bio-products --- Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) characterization --- cellulosic --- fiber --- flame retardant --- ecofriendly --- cotton --- coating --- exterior wall paints --- stain resistance --- western city --- volatile organic compounds (VOCs) --- cellulose nanofiber --- pretreatment --- lignin --- hemicellulose --- physicochemical properties --- natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites --- chemical treatments --- natural fibers --- manufacturing techniques --- green composites --- amaranth stem --- bark --- pith --- insulation blocks --- hardboards --- green composite --- nonwoven --- sound absorption --- structure --- profiling --- natural dye --- Himalayan balsam --- invasive plant --- printing --- textile --- paper --- olive stone --- biocomposite --- LCA --- circular economy --- filler --- sericin --- poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) --- cotton fabrics --- electrospinning --- microcapsules --- chitosan --- essential oil --- bio functional material --- chitin nanofiber --- composite particle --- Pickering emulsion polymerization --- polystyrene --- scaled-down --- wastewater treatment --- differential scanning calorimetry --- tensile properties --- proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy --- packaging --- hybrid yarns --- hemp --- PA11 --- woven fabric --- bio-based composite --- mechanical characterisation --- biobased carbon materials --- meso- and microporous carbons --- dye adsorption --- chemical adsorption --- electrostatic interactions --- flax tows --- ultrasound --- gamma treatment --- DVS --- environmental analysis --- mechanical properties --- composite materials --- linseed flax --- straw --- fibre mechanical extraction --- shives --- mean fibre length --- mean fibre diameter --- geotextiles --- antibacterial activity --- kapok fibre --- polycaprolactone --- sound-absorption performance --- fractal dimension --- epoxy --- sustainability --- flame retardancy --- coffee wastes --- biowaste --- biopolymers --- sunflower protein concentrate --- municipal bio-waste --- urea --- slow-release fertilizers --- lime mortar --- mucilaginous plants --- bio-products --- Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) characterization --- cellulosic --- fiber --- flame retardant --- ecofriendly --- cotton --- coating --- exterior wall paints --- stain resistance --- western city --- volatile organic compounds (VOCs) --- cellulose nanofiber --- pretreatment --- lignin --- hemicellulose --- physicochemical properties --- natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites --- chemical treatments --- natural fibers --- manufacturing techniques --- green composites --- amaranth stem --- bark --- pith --- insulation blocks --- hardboards --- green composite --- nonwoven --- sound absorption --- structure --- profiling --- natural dye --- Himalayan balsam --- invasive plant --- printing --- textile --- paper --- olive stone --- biocomposite --- LCA --- circular economy --- filler --- sericin --- poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) --- cotton fabrics --- electrospinning --- microcapsules --- chitosan --- essential oil --- bio functional material --- chitin nanofiber --- composite particle --- Pickering emulsion polymerization --- polystyrene --- scaled-down --- wastewater treatment --- differential scanning calorimetry --- tensile properties --- proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy --- packaging --- hybrid yarns --- hemp --- PA11 --- woven fabric --- bio-based composite --- mechanical characterisation --- biobased carbon materials --- meso- and microporous carbons --- dye adsorption --- chemical adsorption --- electrostatic interactions --- flax tows --- ultrasound --- gamma treatment --- DVS --- environmental analysis --- mechanical properties --- composite materials --- linseed flax --- straw --- fibre mechanical extraction --- shives --- mean fibre length --- mean fibre diameter --- geotextiles --- antibacterial activity --- kapok fibre --- polycaprolactone --- sound-absorption performance --- fractal dimension --- epoxy --- sustainability --- flame retardancy --- coffee wastes --- biowaste

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Entitled “Natural Fiber-Based Composites”, this Special Issue has the objective to give an inventory of the latest research in the area of composites reinforced with natural fibers. Fibers of renewable origin have many advantages. They are abundant and cheap, they have a reduced impact on the environment, and they are also independent from fossil resources. Their ability to mechanically reinforce thermoplastic matrices is well known, as their natural heat insulation ability. In the last twenty years, the use of cellulosic and lignocellulosic agricultural by-products for composite applications has been of great interest, especially for reinforcing matrices. The matrices can themselves be of renewable origin (e.g., proteins, starch, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polyamides, etc.), thus contributing to the development of 100% bio-based composites with a controlled end of life. This Special Issue’s objective is to give an inventory of the latest research in this area of composites reinforced with natural fibers, focusing in particular on the preparation and molding processes of such materials (e.g., extrusion, injection-molding, hot pressing, etc.) and their characterization. It contains one review and nineteen research reports authored by researchers from four continents and sixteen countries, namely, Brazil, China, France, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, and Vietnam. It provides an update on current research in the field of natural fiber based composite materials. All these contributions will be a source of inspiration for the development of new composites, especially for producers of natural fibers, polymer matrices of renewable origin and composite materials. Generally speaking, these new materials are environmentally friendly and will undoubtedly find numerous applications in the years to come in many sectors. Dr. Philippe Evon Guest Editor

biopolymers --- sunflower protein concentrate --- municipal bio-waste --- urea --- slow-release fertilizers --- lime mortar --- mucilaginous plants --- bio-products --- Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) characterization --- cellulosic --- fiber --- flame retardant --- ecofriendly --- cotton --- coating --- exterior wall paints --- stain resistance --- western city --- volatile organic compounds (VOCs) --- cellulose nanofiber --- pretreatment --- lignin --- hemicellulose --- physicochemical properties --- natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites --- chemical treatments --- natural fibers --- manufacturing techniques --- green composites --- amaranth stem --- bark --- pith --- insulation blocks --- hardboards --- green composite --- nonwoven --- sound absorption --- structure --- profiling --- natural dye --- Himalayan balsam --- invasive plant --- printing --- textile --- paper --- olive stone --- biocomposite --- LCA --- circular economy --- filler --- sericin --- poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) --- cotton fabrics --- electrospinning --- microcapsules --- chitosan --- essential oil --- bio functional material --- chitin nanofiber --- composite particle --- Pickering emulsion polymerization --- polystyrene --- scaled-down --- wastewater treatment --- differential scanning calorimetry --- tensile properties --- proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy --- packaging --- hybrid yarns --- hemp --- PA11 --- woven fabric --- bio-based composite --- mechanical characterisation --- biobased carbon materials --- meso- and microporous carbons --- dye adsorption --- chemical adsorption --- electrostatic interactions --- flax tows --- ultrasound --- gamma treatment --- DVS --- environmental analysis --- mechanical properties --- composite materials --- linseed flax --- straw --- fibre mechanical extraction --- shives --- mean fibre length --- mean fibre diameter --- geotextiles --- antibacterial activity --- kapok fibre --- polycaprolactone --- sound-absorption performance --- fractal dimension --- epoxy --- sustainability --- flame retardancy --- coffee wastes --- biowaste --- n/a