Both natural and synthetic polymeric materials with versatile functionalities are gaining research interest for applications in catalysis, especially in catalytic transformations of renewable biomass to value-added chemicals and biofuels. Functionalized polymeric materials, with tailorable and attractive catalytic properties, are an important class of heterogeneous catalysts that exhibit dramatic improvement of catalytic activity and selectivity in biomass refinery to produce energy and chemicals, compared to their conventional counterparts. By modifying chemical processes with suitable polymeric catalysts, the nature and distribution of final products can be adjusted; this is one of the prospective routes to ensure efficient degradation of renewable natural polymers (for example, cellulose) into specific molecules with high selectivity.

This special issue welcomes original research and review articles that discuss the different types of advanced mono- or bifunctional polymeric catalysts for selective conversion of biorenewables into important/profitable chemicals. Emphasis is also on articles which discuss the relevant manufacture and processing of polymeric materials along with their stability, degradation, repair, and recycling.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Novel technologies/methods for manufacturing functional polymer catalysts
• Synthesis and sustainable applications of functionalized polymers in biomass transformation
• The effect of processing conditions on the performance of polymer composites
• Polymeric catalysts for upgrading biobased platform molecules
• Functionalization and application of biomass-derived polymer materials