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Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 11703

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ana Pilipović

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lucica 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: composite production; composite properties; polymer production; additive manufacturing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Phuong Nguyen-Tri

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Guest Editor

1. Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
2. Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Energy and Environment, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3, Canada
Interests: green chemistry; multifunctional composites; antiviral composites; polymer crystallization; nanomaterials; advanced materials for energy and environment; hybrid nanoparticles; conversion of biomass
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Özcanli

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Guest Editor

Department of Automotive Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Cukurova University, 01330 Adana, Turkey
Interests: composites materials; composites production; internal combustion engines; alternative energy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We all know that composite materials are homogeneous materials, which are obtained by joining two or more different materials with the aim of achieving specific characteristics and properties that do not possess any of the ingredients by themselves. The combination of two or more phases (single-phase or multiphase), (each of these phases is also used as stand-alone material) and a base material (matrix) and additional material (reinforcement or filler) can form a composite.

Whether fibres or particles are used as a reinforcement in thermoplastics and thermosets, it is necessary to establish their structure in the overall composite and how they affect the properties. When talking about classic fibre-reinforced polymer composites, hybridization (whether mixing with different types of fibres in the weave or in different layers) certainly plays a big role because better properties are achieved. In addition, polymer composites reinforced with natural fibres or particles should also be considered, and how to increase their properties so that they can be comparable to, for example, carbon or aramid fibres.

However, for such materials to be used in industry, an important step is the production itself and how the processing parameters affect the composite products. In addition to the classic methods of processing composites regarding fibres (hand lay-up, vacuum bagging filament winding, etc.), in recent years, this has also been achieved by additive manufacturing, the so-called 3D printing, and, for particles, by extrusion.

When production is completed, it is certainly important to establish the properties of the composite product in its application, for example, the effect of aging (various atmospheric conditions) on the mechanical properties, etc.

Even at the very end of product use, disposal, recycling, mechanical, chemical, or energy recovery (incineration) is certainly important.

Dr. Ana Pilipović
Prof. Dr. Phuong Nguyen-Tri
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Özcanli
Guest Editors

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 (polymer-polymer composites, polymer-metal composites, polymer-ceramics composites)
fibre reinforced polymer composites
particle-reinforced polymer composites
natural composites
structure and characterization of composite
properties (mechanical, thermal, rheological, fatigue performance, aging, etc.)
simulation of processing and properties of composites
processing of composites
additive manufacturing of composites
recycling

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improved Energy Storage Performance of Composite Films Based on Linear/Ferroelectric Polarization Characteristics

by Chen Chen, Lifang Shen, Guang Liu, Yang Cui and Shubin Yan

Polymers 2024, 16(8), 1058; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16081058 - 11 Apr 2024

Viewed by 478

Abstract

The development and integration of high-performance electronic devices are critical in advancing energy storage with dielectric capacitors. Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) (PVTC), as an energy storage polymer, exhibits high-intensity polarization in low electric strength fields. However, a hysteresis effect can result in significant residual polarization, leading to a severe energy loss, which impacts the resultant energy storage density and charge/discharge efficiency. In order to modify the polarization properties of the polymer, a biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film with linear characteristics has been selected as an insulating layer and combined with the PVTC ferroelectric polarization layer to construct PVTC/BOPP bilayer films. The hetero-structure and polarization characteristics of the bilayer film have been systematically studied. Adjusting the BOPP volume content to 67% resulted in a discharge energy density of 10.1 J/cm³ and an energy storage efficiency of 80.9%. The results of this study have established the mechanism for a composite structure regulation of macroscopic energy storage performance. These findings can provide a basis for the effective application of ferroelectric polymer-based composites in dielectric energy storage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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12 pages, 3818 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bioinspired Thermal Conductive Cellulose Nanofibers/Boron Nitride Coating Enabled by Co-Exfoliation and Interfacial Engineering

by Xinyuan Wan, Xiaojian Xia, Yunxiang Chen, Deyuan Lin, Yi Zhou and Rui Xiong

Polymers 2024, 16(6), 805; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060805 - 14 Mar 2024

Viewed by 648

Abstract

Thermal conductive coating materials with combination of mechanical robustness, good adhesion and electrical insulation are in high demand in the electronics industry. However, very few progresses have been achieved in constructing a highly thermal conductive composites coating that can conformably coat on desired subjects for efficient thermal dissipation, due to their lack of materials design and structure control. Herein, we report a bioinspired thermal conductive coating material from cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), boron nitride (BN), and polydopamine (PDA) by mimicking the layered structure of nacre. Owing to the strong interfacial strength, mechanical robustness, and high thermal conductivity of CNFs, they do not only enhance the exfoliation and dispersion of BN nanoplates, but also bridge BN nanoplates to achieve superior thermal and mechanical performance. The resulting composites coating exhibits a high thermal conductivity of 13.8 W/(m·K) that surpasses most of the reported thermal conductive composites coating owing to the formation of an efficient thermal conductive pathway in the layered structure. Additionally, the coating material has good interface adhesion to conformably wrap around various substrates by scalable spray coating, combined with good mechanical robustness, sustainability, electrical insulation, low-cost, and easy processability, which makes our materials attractive for electronic packaging applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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9 pages, 1794 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

A Sandwich Structural Filter Paper–AgNWs/MXene Composite for Superior Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

by Xiaoshuai Han, Hongyu Feng, Wei Tian, Kai Zhang, Lei Zhang, Jiangbo Wang and Shaohua Jiang

Polymers 2024, 16(6), 760; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060760 - 10 Mar 2024

Viewed by 608

Abstract

A thin, lightweight and flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding paper composite is an urgent need for modern military confrontations. Herein, a sandwich-structured EMI shielding paper composite with an easy pavement consisting of a filter paper layer, middle AgNWs/MXene layer, and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) layer was constructed by vacuum-assisted filtration, spraying and air-drying. The middle AgNWs/MXene compound endowed the filter paper with excellent electrical conductivity (166 S cm⁻¹) and the fabricated filter paper–AgNWs/MXene–PVB composite exhibits superior EMI shielding (30 dB) with a 141 μm thickness. Remarkably, the specific EMI shielding effectiveness (SSE/t) of the filter paper–AgNWs/MXene–PVB composite reached 13,000 dB cm² g⁻¹ within the X-band frequency range. This value represents one of the highest reported for cellulose-based EMI shielding materials. Therefore, our sandwich-structured filter paper composite with superior EMI shielding performance can be used in the medical and military fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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21 pages, 6594 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Resin Bleed Out on Compaction Behavior of the Fiber Tow Gap Region during Automated Fiber Placement Manufacturing

by Von Clyde Jamora, Virginia Rauch, Sergii G. Kravchenko and Oleksandr G. Kravchenko

Polymers 2024, 16(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16010031 (registering DOI) - 21 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 817

Abstract

Automated fiber placement is a state-of-the-art manufacturing method which allows for precise control over layup design. However, AFP results in irregular morphology due to fiber tow deposition induced features such as tow gaps and overlaps. Factors such as the squeeze flow and resin bleed out, combined with large non-linear deformation, lead to morphological variability. To understand these complex interacting phenomena, a coupled multiphysics finite element framework was developed to simulate the compaction behavior around fiber tow gap regions, which consists of coupled chemo-rheological and flow-compaction analysis. The compaction analysis incorporated a visco-hyperelastic constitutive model with anisotropic tensorial prepreg viscosity, which depends on the resin degree of cure and local fiber orientation and volume fraction. The proposed methodology was validated using the compaction of unidirectional tows and layup with a fiber tow gap. The proposed approach considered the effect of resin bleed out into the gap region, leading to the formation of a resin-rich pocket with a complex non-uniform morphology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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21 pages, 13529 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Thermal Conductivity and Tensile Properties of High-Density Polyethylene by Addition of Expanded Graphite and Boron Nitride

by Lovro Travaš, Maja Rujnić Havstad and Ana Pilipović

Polymers 2023, 15(17), 3645; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15173645 - 04 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1169

Abstract

Due to its mechanical, rheological, and chemical properties, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is commonly used as a material for producing the pipes for transport of various media. Low thermal conductivity (0.4 W/mK) narrows down the usage of HDPE in the heat exchanger systems. The main goal of the work is to reduce the vertical depth of the HDPE pipe buried in the borehole by increasing the thermal conductivity of the material. This property can be improved by adding certain additives to the pure HDPE matrix. Composites made of HDPE with metallic and non-metallic additives show increased thermal conductivity several times compared to the thermal conductivity of pure HDPE. Those additives affect the mechanical properties too, by enhancing or degrading them. In this research, the thermal conductivity and tensile properties of composite made of HDPE matrix and two types of additives, expanded graphite (EG) and boron nitride (BN), were tested. Micro-sized particles of EG and two different sizes of BN particles, micro and nano, were used to produce composite. The objective behind utilizing composite materials featuring dual additives is twofold: firstly, to enhance thermal properties, and secondly, to improve mechanical properties when compared with the pure HDPE. As anticipated, the thermal conductivity of the composites exhibited an eightfold rise in comparison to the pure HDPE. The tensile modulus experienced augmentation across all variations of additive ratios within the composites, albeit with a marginal reduction in tensile strength. This implies that the composite retains a value similar to pure HDPE in terms of tensile strength. Apart from the enhancement observed in all the aforementioned properties, the most significant downside of these composites pertains to their strain at yield, which experienced a reduction, declining from the initial 8.5% found in pure HDPE to a range spanning from 6.6% to 1.8%, dependent upon the specific additive ratios and the size of the BN particles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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Graphical abstract

20 pages, 6860 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fiber Orientation Quantification for Large Area Additively Manufactured Parts Using SEM Imaging

by Rifat Ara Nargis and David Abram Jack

Polymers 2023, 15(13), 2871; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15132871 - 29 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 901

Abstract

Polymer-based additively manufactured parts are increasing in popularity for industrial applications due to their ease of manufacturing and design form freedom, but their structural and thermal performances are often limited to those of the base polymer system. These limitations can be mitigated by the addition of carbon fiber reinforcements to the polymer matrix, which enhances both the structural performance and the dimensional stability during cooling. The local fiber orientation within the processed beads directly impacts the mechanical and thermal performances, and correlating the orientation to processing parameter variations would lead to better part quality. This study presents a novel approach for analyzing the spatially varying fiber orientation through the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This paper presents the sample preparation procedure including SEM image acquisition and analysis methods to quantify the internal fiber orientation of additively manufactured carbon fiber-reinforced composites. Large area additively manufactured beads with 13% by weight large aspect ratio carbon fiber-reinforced acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) pellets are the feedstock used in this study. Fiber orientation is quantified using the method of ellipses (MoE), and the spatial change in fiber orientation across the deposited bead cross-section is studied as a function of process parameters including extrusion speed, raster height, and extrusion temperature zones. The results in the present paper show the results from the novel use of SEM to obtain the local fiber orientation, and results show the variation in alignment within the individual processed bead as well as an overall aligned orientation state along the direction of deposition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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18 pages, 6976 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation Scheme Optimization of Thermosetting Polyurethane Modified Asphalt

by Min Sun, Shuo Jing, Haibo Wu, Jun Zhong, Yongfu Yang, Ye Zhu and Qingpeng Xu

Polymers 2023, 15(10), 2327; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15102327 - 16 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1227

Abstract

To solve the issue of the poor temperature stability of conventional modified asphalt, polyurethane (PU) was used as a modifier with its corresponding curing agent (CA) to prepare thermosetting PU asphalt. First, the modifying effects of the different types of PU modifiers were evaluated, and the optimal PU modifier was then selected. Second, a three-factor and three-level L9 (3³) orthogonal experiment table was designed based on the preparation technology, PU dosage, and CA dosage to prepare the thermosetting PU asphalt and asphalt mixture. Further, the effect of PU dosage, CA dosage, and preparation technology on the 3d, 5d, and 7d splitting tensile strength, freeze-thaw splitting strength, and tensile strength ratio (TSR) of the PU asphalt mixture was analyzed, and a PU-modified asphalt preparation plan was recommended. Finally, a tension test was conducted on the PU-modified asphalt and a split tensile test was performed on the PU asphalt mixture to analyze their mechanical properties. The results show that the content of PU has a significant effect on the splitting tensile strength of PU asphalt mixtures. When the content of the PU modifier is 56.64% and the content of CA is 3.58%, the performance of the PU-modified asphalt and mixture is better when prepared by the prefabricated method. The PU-modified asphalt and mixture have high strength and plastic deformation ability. The modified asphalt mixture has excellent tensile performance, low-temperature performance, and water stability, which meets the requirements of epoxy asphalt and the mixture standards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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19 pages, 1964 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Processes and Mechanical Properties of Lipid–Nanoparticle Mixtures

by Fan Pan, Lingling Sun and Shiben Li

Polymers 2023, 15(8), 1828; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15081828 - 09 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1248

Abstract

In this study, we investigate the dynamic processes and mechanical properties of lipid nanoparticle mixtures in a melt via dissipation particle dynamic simulation. By investigating the distribution of nanoparticles in lamellar and hexagonal lipid matrices in equilibrium state and dynamic processes, we observe that the morphology of such composites depends not only on the geometric features of the lipid matrix but also on the concentration of nanoparticles. The dynamic processes are also demonstrated by calculating the average radius of gyration, which indicates the isotropic conformation of lipid molecules in the x–y plane and that the lipid chains are stretched in the z direction with the addition of nanoparticles. Meanwhile, we predict the mechanical properties of lipid–nanoparticle mixtures in lamellar structures by analyzing the interfacial tensions. Results show that the interfacial tension decreased with the increase in nanoparticle concentration. These results provide molecular-level information for the rational and a priori design of new lipid nanocomposites with ad hoc tailored properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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Review

Jump to: Research

32 pages, 5123 KiB

Open AccessReview

Polyaryletherketone Based Blends: A Review

by Adrian Korycki, Fabrice Carassus, Olivier Tramis, Christian Garnier, Toufik Djilali and France Chabert

Polymers 2023, 15(19), 3943; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15193943 - 29 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1453

Abstract

This review aims to report the status of the research on polyaryletherketone-based thermoplastic blends (PAEK). PAEK are high-performance copolymers able to replace metals in many applications including those related to the environmental and energy transition. PAEK lead to the extension of high-performance multifunctional materials to target embedded electronics, robotics, aerospace, medical devices and prostheses. Blending PAEK with other thermostable thermoplastic polymers is a viable option to obtain materials with new affordable properties. First, this study investigates the miscibility of each couple. Due to different types of interactions, PAEK-based thermoplastic blends go from fully miscible (with some polyetherimides) to immiscible (with polytetrafluoroethylene). Depending on the ether-to-ketone ratio of PAEK as well as the nature of the second component, a large range of crystalline structures and blend morphologies are reported. The PAEK-based thermoplastic blends are elaborated by melt-mixing or solution blending. Then, the effect of the composition and blending preparation on the mechanical properties are investigated. PAEK-based thermoplastic blends give rise to the possibility of tuning their properties to design novel materials. However, we demonstrate hereby that significant research effort is needed to overcome the lack of knowledge on the structure/morphology/property relationships for those types of high-performance thermoplastic blends. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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31 pages, 2848 KiB

Open AccessReview

Modeling Study of the Creep Behavior of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Composites: A Review

by Mostafa Katouzian, Sorin Vlase, Marin Marin and Maria Luminita Scutaru

Polymers 2023, 15(1), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010194 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1783

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present some important practical cases in the analysis of the creep response of unidirectional fiber-reinforced composites. Some of the currently used models are described: the micromechanical model, homogenization technics, the Mori–Tanaka method, and the finite element method (FEM). Each method was analyzed to determine its advantages and disadvantages. Regarding the accuracy of the obtained results, comparisons are made with experimental tests. The methods presented here are applied to carbon-fiber-reinforced composites, but these considerations can also be applied to other types of composite materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Composites: Structure, Properties and Processing)

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