Papers

61,005 results
|
Article Tier 2

Adaptable Polyurethane Networks Containing Tertiary Amines as Intrinsic Bond Exchange Catalyst

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a polymer chemistry study developing recyclable polyurethane vitrimer materials that incorporate an intrinsic catalyst for bond exchange, improving their thermomechanical properties and recyclability.

2024 Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Can Polyhydroxyurethane-Derived Covalent Adaptable Networks Provide Environmental Benefits in Composite Applications?

Despite its title referencing sustainable composites and covalent adaptable networks, this paper studies the environmental life cycle assessment of advanced thermoset polymer composites using bio-derived materials — not microplastic pollution. It evaluates carbon footprints and recycling pathways for epoxy and polyhydroxyurethane composite materials and is not directly relevant to microplastic contamination or human health.

2025 ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 1 citations
Article Tier 2

High-Performance Castor Oil-Based Polyurethane Composites Reinforced by Birch Wood Fibers

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper reports the development of bio-based polyurethane coatings reinforced with birch wood fibers, a materials science study focused on sustainable construction coatings.

2023 Applied Sciences 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Carbon Capture Utilization for Bio-Based Building Insulation Foams

This study explored using carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere to make bio-based insulation foams as a greener alternative to petroleum-based building materials. Replacing fossil-fuel-derived plastics with biodegradable alternatives could reduce the long-term accumulation of microplastic pollution.

2021
Article Tier 2

Nanostructured lignin carriers for efficient flame retardant delivery in natural rubber composites

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper describes using bio-based lignin nanocontainers to deliver a flame retardant in natural rubber composites, improving fire resistance and mechanical properties; it does not address microplastic pollution, environmental contamination, or health effects.

2026 Materials Advances
Article Tier 2

Carbon materials derived from single-use plastics (SUPs) and their applications in pollution mitigation: Challenges and perspectives

This review examines strategies for converting single-use plastic waste into value-added carbon-based materials through thermal, chemical, and catalytic transformation techniques including pyrolysis, carbonization, and chemical activation. The authors assess how these approaches address microplastic contamination risks while contributing to circular economy frameworks by repurposing non-degradable plastic residues.

2025 Environmental Surfaces and Interfaces
Article Tier 2

Furan as Impurity in Green Ethylene and Its Effects on the Productivity of Random Ethylene–Propylene Copolymer Synthesis and Its Thermal and Mechanical Properties

Not relevant to microplastics — this paper studies how trace levels of furan impurity in bio-based ("green") ethylene affect the efficiency of ethylene-propylene copolymer synthesis and the resulting polymer's thermal and mechanical properties.

2023 Polymers 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Obtaining nanocomposites based on recycled polystyrene from urban solid waste with carbon nanostructures: graphene oxide and multi-wall carbon nanotubes, modified with organic acids

This paper is not about microplastic pollution; it describes the fabrication of nanocomposites from recycled polystyrene mixed with graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes to improve material thermal stability.

2023 Afinidad
Article Tier 2

Mapping Flows, Stocks, Plastic Emissions, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Polyurethanes: Decoding Challenges and Pollution Prevention Pathways in China

Researchers mapped material flows, stocks, plastic emissions, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the polyurethane life cycle, identifying production, use, and end-of-life stages as key hotspots for both microplastic release and carbon emissions.

2025 Environmental Science & Technology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Novel robust upcycling approach for the manufacture of value-added polymers based on mixed (poly)urethane scraps

This study developed a novel process for recycling mixed polyurethane scraps into new value-added polymers. Upcycling thermoset plastics that are currently unrecyclable could prevent these materials from fragmenting into microplastics in the environment.

2023 Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Determination of polyurethanes within microplastics in complex environmental samples by analytical pyrolysis

Researchers developed analytical pyrolysis methods to detect and quantify polyurethane microplastics in complex environmental samples, addressing a gap in microplastic monitoring given the highly variable chemical structure of polyurethanes which makes their identification especially challenging.

2023 Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 20 citations
Article Tier 2

Thermoset polyurethanes from biobased and recycled components

Researchers synthesized thermoset polyurethanes using a recycled PET-derived monomer (BHET) combined with a biobased castor oil polyol, demonstrating a pathway to produce sustainable polymer materials from marine plastic litter and biobased feedstocks.

2023 Journal of Polymers and the Environment 17 citations
Article Tier 2

Recent Advances in Polymeric Systems for CO2 Capture: A Small Catalogue

This review surveys advances in polymer-based materials for capturing carbon dioxide as part of climate change mitigation. Polymer science advances relevant to CO2 capture are also applicable to developing materials that can remove microplastics from water and air.

2023 Materials research foundations 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Engineered polysaccharide alpha‐1,3‐glucan in highly filled thermoplastic polyurethane systems

Researchers incorporated a plant-derived polysaccharide into thermoplastic polyurethane composites at very high loading levels, demonstrating a bio-based approach to reducing petroleum content in plastic products. This work explores more sustainable alternatives to fully synthetic plastic formulations.

2023 Journal of Applied Polymer Science 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Structural, functional, and molecular docking analyses of microbial cutinase enzymes against polyurethane monomers

Researchers performed structural, functional, and molecular docking analyses of microbial cutinase enzymes against polyurethane monomers, identifying promising enzyme candidates for biodegradation of polyurethane plastic waste.

2022 Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Water-Borne Polyurethane Based Composites and Their Applications in Functional Textile Coatings

This review covers water-borne polyurethane composites and their applications in textile coatings, including how different reinforcing materials affect performance. Polyurethane coatings on textiles are a significant but often overlooked source of microplastic fibers released into waterways during washing.

2023 Özgür Yayınları eBooks
Article Tier 2

Atom-economy upcycling of commodity thermoset polyurethane into photocuring 3D printing resins based on selective cleavage—crosslink strategy

Researchers developed a selective cleavage strategy using food-grade ethyl acetoacetate to break biuret crosslinks in thermoset polyurethane waste while preserving urethane and urea bonds, enabling the deconstructed product to be upcycled into photocuring 3D printing resins with up to approximately 90% waste content and strong mechanical properties.

2026 Nature Communications
Article Tier 2

Introduction to advances in bio-based polymers: chemical structures and functional properties at the interface

This introduction to a special issue on bio-based polymers summarized recent advances in the chemical structures, synthesis, and functional applications of polymers derived from renewable biological sources. It contextualizes how bio-based materials can replace petrochemical plastics across multiple industries.

2024 7 citations
Article Tier 2

A Study of Plant-Filled Polymer Composites Based on Highly Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride

Not relevant to microplastics — this is a polymer materials study developing plant-filled PVC composites (using spruce flour, birch flour, and rice husk as fillers) to improve the ecological profile of PVC products, with testing of mechanical and thermal properties.

2024 Polymers 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable cycloaliphatic polyurethanes: from synthesis to applications

This review examines sustainable cycloaliphatic polyurethanes derived from bio-based and recycled feedstocks, covering synthesis routes, properties, and applications as alternatives to conventional fossil-based polyurethanes to reduce environmental impact.

2022 Chemical Society Reviews 124 citations
Article Tier 2

Solving the plastic dilemma: the fungal and bacterial biodegradability of polyurethanes

This review examined the biodegradability of polyurethane by fungi and bacteria, identifying promising microbial species and enzymes capable of breaking down this widely used but environmentally persistent plastic polymer.

2023 World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 54 citations
Article Tier 2

Effect of Polymer Properties on the Biodegradation of Polyurethane Microplastics

Researchers investigated biodegradation of different thermoplastic polyurethane formulations in compost, finding that the ester bond chemistry of polyurethanes enables some degree of hydrolytic degradation. The rate and extent of biodegradation varied substantially with polymer chemistry, with ester-based polyurethanes degrading faster than ether-based types.

2022 Environmental Science & Technology 63 citations
Article Tier 2

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) Networks with Dynamic Covalent Bonds: Synthesis and Characterization

Researchers synthesized a biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) network with dynamic chemical bonds that degrade under environmental conditions, making it a candidate to replace microplastic-generating polyolefins in packaging and agriculture. The study characterizes its thermal and mechanical properties for practical applications.

2023 ACS Applied Polymer Materials 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Co-Valorisation Energy Potential of Wastewater Treatment Sludge and Agroforestry Waste

Not relevant to microplastics — this study characterizes the energy potential of various biomass feedstocks including sewage sludge, forestry waste, swine manure, cork, and biochar as renewable energy co-valorisation resources, finding substantial variation in calorific values across materials.

2024 Environments 3 citations