
Biopolymers are currently present in our life in different areas; therefore, in-depth research on advanced polymer materials is a hot topic. Over recent years, there has been a continuously growing interest in the development of sustainable, safe, and environmentally friendly biopolymer-based materials from renewable resources to cope with the growing market demand. The challenge is to tailor biopolymers from natural sources with enhanced functional properties when compared with their synthetic counterparts without jeopardizing their thermomechanical profiles. Another key factor is to be able to obtain biopolymers adapted processing using emerging technologies such as 3D printing.
These polymers could be obtained from several raw materials, from marine sources to terrestrial plants or vegetables. In this context, strategies associated with the extraction technologies to achieve advanced biopolymers are essential. Structure and mechanical features are also critically relevant to the processing, manufacturing, and final application of biopolymers. Their functional properties can be highly dependent on the aforementioned factors. Innovative final applications are also the targets of further study.
This webinar aims to provide an overview of recent research advances in Advanced Polymer Materials from Natural Resources that find an application in several fields, from food to non-food sectors. As Chairs, we cordially invite you to participate.
Date: 24 November 2022
Time: 4:30 pm CET | 10:30 am EST | 11:30 pm CST Asia
Webinar ID: 815 8955 6808
Webinar Secretariat: polymers.webinar@mdpi.com
On Thursday, 24 November 2022, MDPI and the Polymers Journal organized the 1st Polymers webinar, entitled "Advanced Polymer Materials From Natural Resources".
The introduction was held by the Chairs of the webinar, Dr. María Dolores Torres Pérez and Dr. Noelia Flórez Fernández. Dr. Torres Pérez has a research position at the University of Vigo (Spain), where is working on the integral valorisation of brown and red algae using environmental friendly technologies to obtain hydrogels and other components of industrial value. Dr. Flórez Fernández is a postdoctoral researcher at Universidade de Vigo, where she completed her PhD in Food Science and Technology.
Dr. Estefanía Álvarez-Castillo from University of Sevilla, Spain, was the first presenter and talked about "Extraction of Protein from Blood From Slaughterhouses to Develop Bioplastics".
The second presentation was held by Ms. Julie Queffelec with her presentation "Green Processing for Biopolymers From Undaria pinnatifida". She is currently working in the EQ2 team of the University of Vigo in Spain.
The last presenter was Mr. Jorge F. Rodrigues Pontes from Universidade do Algave, Portugal, who talked about "Advanced Biopolymers in the Pharmaceutical Field".
Each presentation was followed by a Q&A and a discussion, moderated by the Chairs Dr. María Dolores Torres Pérez and Dr. Noelia Flórez Fernández. The webinar was offered via Zoom and required registration to attend. The full recording can be found here on Sciforum website. In order to stay updated on the next webinars on Polymers be sure to sign up for our newsletter by clicking on “Subscribe” at the top of the page.