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Polymers
Special Issues
Multi-Functional and Multi-Scale Aspects in Polymer Composites
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Multi-Functional and Multi-Scale Aspects in Polymer 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 (20 May 2024) | Viewed by 6006

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Vineet Kumar

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Republic of Korea
Interests: rubber nanocomposites; graphene; carbon nanotube; mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites; hybrid fillers; elastomers; magneto-rheological elastomers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Md Najib Alam

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-Ro, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541, Korea
Interests: vulcanization; rubber nanocomposites; energy harvesting; sensors and actuators; magnetorheological elastomers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since the last decade, the multi-functional aspects of polymers are being increasingly focused on, especially the elastomeric class that exhibits promising mechanical, electric, thermal, and self-healing properties. These elastomeric materials are filled with conductive materials such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and conductive carbon black. The addition of these conductive materials causes the elastomers to be useful for industry both in terms of quality and quantity. The composites based on these elastomers as polymer matrices exhibit applications such as actuation, energy harvesting, strain sensing, self-healing, stimuli‒response behavior, barrier properties, and bio-compatibility. The ability of these engineering elastomers with such multiscale and multifunctional diversity causes them to be a premium class of versatile materials for the present and also for the future.

This Special Issue aims to cover the use of these composites as versatile materials in multiscale and their multi-functional aspects. This Issue will guide industrially oriented research and other developmental aspects related to polymer materials. Moreover, the demand for research and development both in industries and academia requires further efforts to cover the versatility of the subject of this Issue. The key aspects summarizing the scope of this issue include:

  • Development of polymer composites based on their multiscale and multifunctional aspects.
  • Different classes of polymer matrixes such as elastomers, thermoplastics, thermosets, etc.
  • Various properties of composites such as mechanical, electrical, thermal, self-healing, and self-cleaning mechanisms, bio-compatibility, tribology, etc.
  • Pristine and modification of filler or polymer matrix covering the concept of promoting interfacial interactions or stress-transfer phenomena.
  • Understanding of the theoretical modeling and simulation on multiple scales and the versatility of polymeric composite materials.
  • New generation polymer composite materials based on 3D and 4D printing
  • Industrial applications of the filled polymer composites such as actuation, energy harvesting, strain sensing, self-healing, stimuli-response behavior, barrier properties, and bio-compatibility.

Dr. Vineet Kumar
Dr. Md Najib Alam
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

  • multi-functional composites
  • multi-scale simulation
  • elastomers
  • actuations
  • strain-sensors
  • energy harvesters
  • self-healing materials
  • stimuli-response behavior
  • 3D-4D printing
  • bio-compatibility

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2655 KiB  
Article
Knitting Elastic Conductive Fibers of MXene/Natural Rubber for Multifunctional Wearable Sensors
by Zirong Luo, Na Kong, Ken Aldren S. Usman, Jinlong Tao, Peter A. Lynch, Joselito M. Razal and Jizhen Zhang
Polymers 2024, 16(13), 1824; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16131824 - 27 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1074
Abstract
Wearable electronic sensors have recently attracted tremendous attention in applications such as personal health monitoring, human movement detection, and sensory skins as they offer a promising alternative to counterparts made from traditional metallic conductors and bulky metallic conductors. However, the real-world use of [...] Read more.
Wearable electronic sensors have recently attracted tremendous attention in applications such as personal health monitoring, human movement detection, and sensory skins as they offer a promising alternative to counterparts made from traditional metallic conductors and bulky metallic conductors. However, the real-world use of most wearable sensors is often hindered by their limited stretchability and sensitivity, and ultimately, their difficulty to integrate into textiles. To overcome these limitations, wearable sensors can incorporate flexible conductive fibers as electrically active components. In this study, we adopt a scalable wet-spinning approach to directly produce flexible and conductive fibers from aqueous mixtures of Ti3C2Tx MXene and natural rubber (NR). The electrical conductivity and stretchability of these fibers were tuned by varying their MXene loading, enabling knittability into textiles for wearable sensors. As individual filaments, these MXene/NR fibers exhibit suitable conductivity dependence on strain variations, making them ideal for motivating sensors. Meanwhile, textiles from knitted MXene/NR fibers demonstrate great stability as capacitive touch sensors. Collectively, we believe that these elastic and conductive MXene/NR-based fibers and textiles are promising candidates for wearable sensors and smart textiles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Functional and Multi-Scale Aspects in Polymer Composites)
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21 pages, 12406 KiB  
Article
Investigations into the Material Characteristics of Selected Plastics Manufactured Using SLA-Type Additive Methods
by Dominika Grygier, Adam Kurzawa, Mateusz Stachowicz, Karina Krawiec, Maksymilian Stępczak, Maciej Roszak, Mikołaj Kazimierczak, Dorota Aniszewska and Dariusz Pyka
Polymers 2024, 16(11), 1607; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16111607 - 6 Jun 2024
Viewed by 606
Abstract
In this study, the authors performed a strength analysis of seven groups of commercially available materials based on SLS incremental technology. Test samples were made with Original PRUSA SL1S printers, with 10 samples of each type from 7 resins selected for testing. The [...] Read more.
In this study, the authors performed a strength analysis of seven groups of commercially available materials based on SLS incremental technology. Test samples were made with Original PRUSA SL1S printers, with 10 samples of each type from 7 resins selected for testing. The tests were carried out on an MTS Bionix machine in a static tensile test, during which the basic mechanical properties were determined. This is also a preliminary study to determine material constants in the Johnson-Cook strength model. The authors then performed numerical simulations to mirror the experimental tests in order to tune the rheological model. In addition, a fracture criterion was determined based on a hybrid FEM/SPH numerical method. This allowed for the expansion of material libraries currently used in numerical simulations, as well as the sensitivity of the materials’ models. In subsequent studies, in order to determine the nature of material destruction, analysis of fracture surfaces was performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The final study was a biocompatibility test to assess the biological properties of the material. The conducted research made it possible to determine the strength properties of resins currently used in 3D printers, expand the libraries of material models in the computational environment (with an error rate of less than 5%), as well as observe the nature of the cracks formed and biocompatibility in the context of predicting the use of these materials for biomedical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Functional and Multi-Scale Aspects in Polymer Composites)
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0 pages, 5891 KiB  
Article
Properties of Organosilicon Elastomers Modified with Multilayer Carbon Nanotubes and Metallic (Cu or Ni) Microparticles
by Alexander V. Shchegolkov, Aleksei V. Shchegolkov, Natalia V. Zemtsova, Alexandre A. Vetcher and Yaroslav M. Stanishevskiy
Polymers 2024, 16(6), 774; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060774 - 11 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 822
Abstract
The structural and electro-thermophysical characteristics of organosilicon elastomers modified with multilayer carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) synthesized on Co-Mo/Al2O3-MgO and metallic (Cu or Ni) microparticles have been studied. The structures were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), [...] Read more.
The structural and electro-thermophysical characteristics of organosilicon elastomers modified with multilayer carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) synthesized on Co-Mo/Al2O3-MgO and metallic (Cu or Ni) microparticles have been studied. The structures were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The main focus of this study was the influence of metallic dispersed fillers on the resistance of a modified elastomer with Cu and Ni to the degradation of electrophysical parameters under the action of applied electrical voltage. The distribution of the temperature field on the surface of a modified polymer composite with metallic micro-dimensional structures has been recorded. The collected data demonstrate the possibility of controlling the degradation caused by electrical voltage. It has been found that repeated on/off turns of the elastomer with an MWCNTs on 50 and 100 cycles leads to a deterioration in the properties of the conductive elastomer from the available power of 1.1 kW/m2 (−40 °C) and, as a consequence, a decrease in the power to 0.3 kW/m2 (−40 °C) after 100 on/off cycles. At the same time, the Ni additive allows increasing the power by 1.4 kW/m2 (−40 °C) and reducing the intensity of the degradation of the conductive structures (after 100 on/off cycles up to 1.2 kW/m2 (−40 °C). When Ni is replaced by Cu, the power of the modified composite in the heating mode increases to 1.6 kW/m2 (−40 °C) and, at the same time, the degradation of the conductive structures in the composite decreases in the mode of cyclic offensives (50 and 100 cycles) (1.5 kW/m2 (−40 °C)). It was found that the best result in terms of heat removal is typical for an elastomer sample with an MWCNTs and Cu (temperature reaches 93.9 °C), which indicates an intensification of the heat removal from the most overheated places of the composite structure. At the same time, the maximum temperature for the Ni additives reaches 86.7 °C. A sample without the addition of a micro-sized metal is characterized by the local unevenness of the temperature field distribution, which causes undesirable internal overheating and destruction of the current-conducting structures based on the MWCNTs. The maximum temperature at the same time reaches a value of 49.8 °C. The conducted studies of the distribution of the micro-sizes of Ni and Cu show that Cu, due to its larger particles, improves internal heat exchange and intensifies heat release to the surface of the heater sample, which improves the temperature regime of the MWCNTs and, accordingly, increases resistance to electrophysical degradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Functional and Multi-Scale Aspects in Polymer Composites)
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16 pages, 4329 KiB  
Article
Eco-Friendly Natural Rubber–Jute Composites for the Footwear Industry
by Giovanni Barrera Torres, Carlos T. Hiranobe, Erivaldo Antonio da Silva, Guilherme P. Cardim, Henrique P. Cardim, Flavio C. Cabrera, Elizabeth R. Lozada, Carlos M. Gutierrez-Aguilar, Juan C. Sánchez, Jaime A. Jaramillo Carvalho, Aldo E. Job and Renivaldo J. Santos
Polymers 2023, 15(20), 4183; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15204183 - 21 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2071
Abstract
Nowadays, biocomposites represent a new generation of materials that are environmentally friendly, cost-effective, low-density, and not derived from petroleum. They have been widely used to protect the environment and generate new alternatives in the polymer industry. In this study, we incorporated untreated jute [...] Read more.
Nowadays, biocomposites represent a new generation of materials that are environmentally friendly, cost-effective, low-density, and not derived from petroleum. They have been widely used to protect the environment and generate new alternatives in the polymer industry. In this study, we incorporated untreated jute fibers (UJFs) and alkaline-treated jute fibers (TJFs) at 1–5 and 10 phr into TSR 10 natural rubber as reinforcement fillers. These composites were produced to be used in countersole shoes manufacturing. Untreated fibers were compared to those treated with 10% sodium hydroxide. The alkali treatment allowed the incorporation of fibers without compromising their mechanical properties. The TJF samples exhibited 8% less hardness, 70% more tensile strength, and the same flexibility compared to their pure rubber counterparts. Thanks to their properties and ergonomic appearance, the composites obtained here can be useful in many applications: construction materials (sound insulating boards, and flooring materials), the automotive industry (interior moldings), the footwear industry (shoe soles), and anti-static moldings. These new compounds can be employed in innovative processes to reduce their carbon footprint and negative impact on our planet. Using the Lorenz–Park equation, the loaded composites examined in this study exhibited values above 0.7, which means a competitive load–rubber interaction. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the morphology of the composites in detail. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Functional and Multi-Scale Aspects in Polymer Composites)
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Review

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27 pages, 4435 KiB  
Review
Review of Recent Progress on Silicone Rubber Composites for Multifunctional Sensor Systems
by Vineet Kumar, Md. Najib Alam and Sang Shin Park
Polymers 2024, 16(13), 1841; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16131841 - 28 Jun 2024
Viewed by 475
Abstract
The latest progress (the year 2021–2024) on multifunctional sensors based on silicone rubber is reported. These multifunctional sensors are useful for real-time monitoring through relative resistance, relative current change, and relative capacitance types. The present review contains a brief overview and literature survey [...] Read more.
The latest progress (the year 2021–2024) on multifunctional sensors based on silicone rubber is reported. These multifunctional sensors are useful for real-time monitoring through relative resistance, relative current change, and relative capacitance types. The present review contains a brief overview and literature survey on the sensors and their multifunctionalities. This contains an introduction to the different functionalities of these sensors. Following the introduction, the survey on the types of filler or rubber and their fabrication are briefly described. The coming section deals with the fabrication methodology of these composites where the sensors are integrated. The special focus on mechanical and electro-mechanical properties is discussed. Electro-mechanical properties with a special focus on response time, linearity, and gauge factor are reported. The next section of this review reports the filler dispersion and its role in influencing the properties and applications of these sensors. Finally, various types of sensors are briefly reported. These sensors are useful for monitoring human body motions, breathing activity, environment or breathing humidity, organic gas sensing, and, finally, smart textiles. Ultimately, the study summarizes the key takeaway from this review article. These conclusions are focused on the merits and demerits of the sensors and are followed by their future prospects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Functional and Multi-Scale Aspects in Polymer Composites)
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