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Advances in Functional Polymer Matrix Composites
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Advances in Functional Polymer Matrix Composites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2024) | Viewed by 14621

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Guowei Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, China
Interests: atom transfer radical polymerization; grafting polymerization; surface modification; composite materials; core–shell structure; copolymer brush; amphiphilic copolymer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Functional polymer matrix composites with specific functionalities such as drag reduction, anti-fouling, anti-wear, self-healing, and stimulus response have emerged as highly attractive materials. The composites have shown rapidly growing global demand in aerospace, medical and health care, water remediation, sensing, and other fields. The design, structures, analysis, functions, and applications of functional polymer matrix composites are continuously and extensively studied, and the rapid growth of relevant progress will promote the rapid development of technology. This Special Issue focuses on the recent advances in functional polymer matrix composites science and engineering, including structural design, fabrication techniques, analytical methods, processing, and functional applications, covering all relevant research areas. Particular attention will be paid to the following topics:

  • Smart and functional polymer composites;
  • Hydrogels;
  • Nanofiller reinforcement;
  • Organic polymer coatings/films;
  • Interfaces and interphases behavior;
  • Evaluation of polymer matrix composite waste recycling methods;
  • Electromagnetic interference shielding composites;
  • Covalent organic framework materials;
  • Piezoelectric sensors. 

This Special Issue allows researchers to promote their scientific and technical advancements in the field of functional polymer matrix composites. Authors are welcome to submit their latest research in the form of original full articles, communications, or reviews on this topic. Manuscripts will be promptly peer-reviewed with continuous publication upon acceptance.

Prof. Dr. Guowei Zhou
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polymer composites
  • hydrogels
  • organic polymer coatings/films
  • adsorption and separation resins
  • friction materials
  • covalent organic framework materials
  • interfacial modification
  • strengthening and toughening
  • polymer processing
  • atom transfer radical polymerization
  • self-healing
  • water treatment

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 5484 KiB  
Article
Fusedly Deposited Frequency-Selective Composites Fabricated by a Dual-Nozzle 3D Printing as Microwave Filter
by Jae-Yeon Cho, Young-Chan Oh, Seung-Cheol Shin, Sun-Kon Lee, Hyoung-Seock Seo and Sang-Eui Lee
Polymers 2024, 16(6), 786; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060786 - 12 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1289
Abstract
We report a fusedly deposited frequency-selective composite (FD-FSCs), fabricated with a dual-nozzle 3D printer using a conductive carbon black (CB) polylactic acid (PLA) composite filament and a pure PLA polymer filament. The square frequency-selective pattern was constructed by the conductive CB/PLA nanocomposite, and [...] Read more.
We report a fusedly deposited frequency-selective composite (FD-FSCs), fabricated with a dual-nozzle 3D printer using a conductive carbon black (CB) polylactic acid (PLA) composite filament and a pure PLA polymer filament. The square frequency-selective pattern was constructed by the conductive CB/PLA nanocomposite, and the apertures of the pattern were filled with the pure dielectric PLA material, which allows the FD-FSC to maintain one single plane, even under bending, and also affects the resonating frequency due to the characteristic impedance of PLA (εr′ ≈ 2.0). The number of the deposition layer and the printing direction were observed to affect electrical conductivity, complex permittivity, and the frequency selectivity of the FD-FSCs. In addition, the FD-FSCs designed for an X-band showed partial transmission around the resonant frequency and was observed to, quite uniformly, transmit microwaves in the decibel level of −2.17~−2.83 dB in the whole X-band, unlike a metallic frequency selective surface with full transmission at the resonance frequency. FD-FSCs embedded radar absorbing structure (RAS) demonstrates an excellent microwave absorption and a wide effective bandwidth. At a thickness of 4.3 mm, the 10 dB bandwidth covered the entire X-band (8.2~12.4 GHz) range of 4.2 GHz. Therefore, the proposed FD-FSCs fabricated by dual-nozzle 3D printing can be an impedance modifier to expand the design space and the application of radar absorbing materials and structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Matrix Composites)
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14 pages, 6227 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Polymer–Solvent Interaction on the Swelling of Polymer Matrix Tablets: A Magnetic Resonance Microscopy Study Complemented by Bond Fluctuation Model Simulations
by Franci Bajd, Urša Mikac, Aleš Mohorič and Igor Serša
Polymers 2024, 16(5), 601; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16050601 - 22 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1114
Abstract
Polymer matrix tablets are an important drug-delivery system widely used for oral drug administration. Understanding the tablet hydration process, both experimentally and theoretically, is, thus, very important for the development of drug delivery systems that exhibit high drug loading capacity and controlled release [...] Read more.
Polymer matrix tablets are an important drug-delivery system widely used for oral drug administration. Understanding the tablet hydration process, both experimentally and theoretically, is, thus, very important for the development of drug delivery systems that exhibit high drug loading capacity and controlled release potential. In this study, we used magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) to nondestructively and dynamically analyze the water hydration process of xanthan-based tablets. The swelling process was characterized by well-resolved fronts of erosion, swelling, and penetration. The experimental results were complemented by numerical simulations of the polymer matrix hydration process. In the simulations, the polymer tablet matrix was modeled as an assembly of interacting chains with embedded drug particles, while its hydration process was mediated by interaction with solvent particles. The swelling dynamics were modeled within a Monte Carlo-based bond fluctuation model (BFM) that elegantly accounted for steric and nearest-neighbor interactions. This study provides an efficient experimental–theoretical approach for the study of polymer matrix swelling processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Matrix Composites)
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11 pages, 765 KiB  
Article
Effect of Different Mouthwashes on the Surface Microhardness and Color Stability of Dental Nanohybrid Resin Composite
by Tamer M. Hamdy, Ali Abdelnabi, Maha S. Othman, Rania E. Bayoumi and Rasha M. Abdelraouf
Polymers 2023, 15(4), 815; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15040815 - 6 Feb 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3467
Abstract
Background: Surface microhardness and color stability of dental restorative material should be sustained throughout its functional lifetime to maintain the esthetic quality of the restoration. However, the frequent application of mouthwash may affect their surface microhardness and color stability. The aim of this [...] Read more.
Background: Surface microhardness and color stability of dental restorative material should be sustained throughout its functional lifetime to maintain the esthetic quality of the restoration. However, the frequent application of mouthwash may affect their surface microhardness and color stability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different types of mouthwashes with different contents on surface microhardness and color stability of dental nanohybrid resin-based composite. Methods: Disc specimens of nanohybrid resin composite (Luna Nano-Hybrid Composite) were prepared according to manufacturing instructions; specimens were incubated for 24 h in three types of mouthwash (Chlorohexidine, Listerine Green Tea, and Colgate Optic White Whitening Mouthwash). Artificial saliva was used as a control group. Surface microhardness was evaluated using Vickers microhardness device. Color stability after and before immersion in the different mouthwashes was evaluated using extra-oral spectrophotometer; the values of color change (ΔE00) were subsequently calculated. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and post hoc test (p ≤ 0.05). Results: There was no significant difference between microhardness of resin composite immersed in artificial saliva, CHX, and Green Tea mouthwashes (78.5, 78.4, and 73.5, respectively) (p ≥ 0.1), while the bleaching mouthwash led to the lowest microhardness of resin composite, with significant difference compared to the three previous immersion media (p = 0.002). Moreover, there were significant differences in the color changes (ΔE00) of resin composite exposed to the various immersion media (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: The bleaching mouthwash led to a significant reduction in nanohybrid resin composite’s microhardness compared to the chlorohexidine and Green Tea containing mouthwashes. The resin composite’s color change was accepted in bleaching mouthwash but unaccepted in chlorohexidine and Green Tea containing mouthwashes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Matrix Composites)
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15 pages, 3282 KiB  
Article
Effect of Glass Filler Geometry on the Mechanical and Optical Properties of Highly Transparent Polymer Composite
by Ilya Kobykhno, Andrey Kiryanov, Victor Klinkov, Alla Chebotareva, Stanislav Evlashin, Dandan Ju, Yiyong Wu, Alexander Semencha, Huiyang Zhao and Oleg Tolochko
Polymers 2022, 14(23), 5179; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14235179 - 28 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1984
Abstract
In this work, we studied the influence of the geometry and degree of filling of glass dispersed particles on the optical and mechanical properties of flexible high-transmission composites, based on thermoplastic polyurethane. Glass spheres, glass flake and milling glass fiber were used as [...] Read more.
In this work, we studied the influence of the geometry and degree of filling of glass dispersed particles on the optical and mechanical properties of flexible high-transmission composites, based on thermoplastic polyurethane. Glass spheres, glass flake and milling glass fiber were used as fillers. Studies of mechanical properties have shown that the introduction of any filler leads to a decrease in tensile strength and an increase in the elastic modulus of the composite material, however, with the introduction of glass flakes and milling glass fiber, a significant increase in the yield strength of the material is observed. The optical properties of composites with glass spheres decrease exponentially with an increase in the volume fraction of the filler. With an increase in the concentration of glass flakes and milling glass fiber to 10 vol.%, a sharp decrease in transmission is observed. With a further increase in concentration, the orientation of the filler along the film occurs, due to which the transmission in the visible range increases to values close to those of a pure polymer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Matrix Composites)
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11 pages, 5622 KiB  
Article
The Functionalization of a Honeycomb Polystyrene Pattern by Excimer Treatment in Liquid
by Petr Slepička, Jakub Siegel, Miroslav Šlouf, Dominik Fajstavr, Klára Fajstavrová, Zdeňka Kolská and Václav Švorčík
Polymers 2022, 14(22), 4944; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14224944 - 16 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1788
Abstract
In this article, we present a unique combination of techniques focusing on the immobilization of noble metal nanoparticles into a honeycomb polystyrene pattern prepared with the improved phase-separation technique. The procedure consists of two main steps: the preparation of the honeycomb pattern (HCP) [...] Read more.
In this article, we present a unique combination of techniques focusing on the immobilization of noble metal nanoparticles into a honeycomb polystyrene pattern prepared with the improved phase-separation technique. The procedure consists of two main steps: the preparation of the honeycomb pattern (HCP) on a perfluoroethylenepropylene substrate (FEP), followed by an immobilization procedure realized by the honeycomb pattern’s exposure to an excimer laser in a noble metal nanoparticle solution. The surface physico-chemical properties, mainly the surface morphology and chemistry, are characterized in detail in the study. The two-step procedure represents the unique architecture of the surface immobilization process, which reveals a wide range of potential applications, mainly in tissue engineering, but also as substrates for analytical use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Matrix Composites)
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15 pages, 2061 KiB  
Article
Numerical Optimization of CNT Distribution in Functionally Graded CNT-Reinforced Composite Beams
by J.R. Cho and H.J. Kim
Polymers 2022, 14(20), 4418; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14204418 - 19 Oct 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1589
Abstract
This paper is concerned with the numerical optimization of the thickness-wise CNT (carbon nanotube) distribution in functionally graded CNT-reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) beams to secure the structural safety. The FG-CNTRC in which CNTs are inserted according to the specific thickness-wise distribution pattern are extensively [...] Read more.
This paper is concerned with the numerical optimization of the thickness-wise CNT (carbon nanotube) distribution in functionally graded CNT-reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) beams to secure the structural safety. The FG-CNTRC in which CNTs are inserted according to the specific thickness-wise distribution pattern are extensively investigated for high-performance engineering applications. The mechanical behaviors of FG-CNTRC structures are definitely affected by the distribution pattern of CNTs through the thickness. Hence, the tailoring of suitable CNT distribution pattern is an essential subject in the design of FG-CNTRC structure for a given boundary and loading conditions. Nevertheless, the thickness-wise CNT distribution pattern has been assumed by several linear functions so that these assumed primitive patterns cannot appropriately respond to arbitrary loading and boundary conditions. In this context, this paper aims to introduce a numerical method for optimally tailoring the CNT distribution pattern of FG-CNTRC beams. As a preliminary stage, the effective stress is defined as the objective function and the layer-wise CNT volume fractions are chosen as the design variables. The exterior penalty-function method and golden section method are adopted for the optimization formulation, together with finite difference scheme for the design sensitivity analysis. The proposed optimization method is illustrated and validated through the benchmark experiments, such that it successfully provides an optimum CNT distribution which can significantly minimize the effective stress, with a stable and rapid convergence in the iterative optimization process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Matrix Composites)
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17 pages, 6280 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Controlled-Release Calcium Peroxide Nanoparticles Coated with Dextran for Removal of Doxycycline from Aqueous System
by Nurul Nazihah Amerhaider Nuar, Siti Nurul Ain Md. Jamil, Fan Li, Intan Diana Mat Azmi, Pen-Chi Chiang and Thomas Shean Yaw Choong
Polymers 2022, 14(18), 3866; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14183866 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2563
Abstract
Nanoscale calcium peroxide (nCP) has turned out to be one of the effective and environmentally friendly approaches for wastewater remediation purposes. The rapid hydrolysis of nCPs and burst oxygen release caused by the high surface-to-volume ratio of nCPs could surpass the appropriate demand [...] Read more.
Nanoscale calcium peroxide (nCP) has turned out to be one of the effective and environmentally friendly approaches for wastewater remediation purposes. The rapid hydrolysis of nCPs and burst oxygen release caused by the high surface-to-volume ratio of nCPs could surpass the appropriate demand for oxygenation and pollutant degradation in the aqueous system. Thus, coated oxidants (COs) have been prepared using polymeric materials to ensure long-term efficacy and slow-release capability. Therefore, the nCPs were first prepared using dextran as a stabilizer to prevent irreversible agglomeration by the chemical precipitation method and had an average mean size of 2.33 ± 0.81 nm. The synthesized nCPs were then coated with dextran to produce dextran-coated nCPs. Their characteristics and effectiveness in doxycycline (DOX) degradation were assessed. The characterization of nCPs and dextran-coated nCPs was performed using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller analysis (BET), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. This work suggests that dextran-coated nCPs are beneficial in wastewater treatment practice in terms of the long-term efficacy of DOX degradation potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functional Polymer Matrix Composites)
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