applsci-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Research on Polymer Composite Materials

A Special Issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417) belonging to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2026 | Viewed by 4021

Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Textile Institute, Faculty of Material Technologies and Textile Design, Lodz University of Technology, Zeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Interests: polymer composites; reinforcing materials; hybrid structures; technical textiles; nonwovens; nanofibers; electrospinning; recycling of textiles; sound-absorbing materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Composites, or composite materials, are materials produced by man for an intended purpose. They consist of at least two components, i.e., reinforcement and matrix, differing in terms of physical and chemical properties, with a clear separation boundary. The properties of composites are the result of many factors, including the type, structure and share of components, their arrangement and degree of mixing, type of technology, and technological parameters. However, it is not enough to simply obtain a composite material that meets the required criteria and has the intended functional features. It is also important to propose solutions where both the composite material and its technology, as well as the method of its management after use, are as economical and ecological as possible. New material solutions are sought based on the reuse of materials in a closed cycle, the use of natural raw materials, and biopolymers and polymers of plant origin, at least partially. New technological solutions enabling the production of composites with sophisticated deep shapes, a fast manufacturing process, and the use of components with different structures, including hybrid structures, are of great interest.

The aim of this Special Issue is to illustrate the progress made in the field of research on polymer composite materials, both in terms of their manufacturing process, properties, and potential applications, as well as the possibilities of their recycling. The issue also covers topics related to innovative material solutions, including the use of recycled or environmentally friendly raw materials.

Papers are expected to cover the method of production and properties of composite materials on thermoplastic or duroplastic matrix. Papers should present new material, technological, and application solutions, consistent with the current trends and requirements regarding the environment and safety of use.

Dr. Eulalia Gliścińska
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences 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 2400 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

  • composite material
  • composite technology
  • polymer matrix
  • recycling
  • structure
  • properties
  • application

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

10 pages, 2202 KB  
Article
Effect of the Sterilization Process on the Properties of Adhesive Foils Dedicated to Criminal Trace Evidence
by Magdalena Olejnik, Magdalena Cichecka, Edyta Chmal-Fudali, Marcin H. Struszczyk, Paweł Kubiak and Agnieszka Gutowska
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(2), 1118; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16021118 - 22 Jan 2026
Viewed by 623
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of sterilization of low-adhesive films with ethylene oxide (EO) or accelerated electrons (radiation sterilization) on their performance in the context of their use to protect forensic traces. It was hypothesized that the implementation of the sterilization [...] Read more.
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of sterilization of low-adhesive films with ethylene oxide (EO) or accelerated electrons (radiation sterilization) on their performance in the context of their use to protect forensic traces. It was hypothesized that the implementation of the sterilization process made it possible to obtain functional tools for securing traces. The analysis showed that changes in surface density, density, tensile strength, and adhesion strength do not significantly affect the functional performance of the tapes. Additionally, no alterations in chemical resistance were observed following either sterilization method. The results confirm that both sterilization techniques are suitable for obtaining sterile tapes for forensic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Polymer Composite Materials)
Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3815 KB  
Article
Progressive Failure Analysis of Laminated Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Composite Plate Structure in the Post-Buckling Region
by Muhammad Ali Sadiq and György Kovács
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(22), 12237; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152212237 - 18 Nov 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1232
Abstract
Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP)-laminated composite materials are increasingly recognized as a transformative solution for future structural applications, due to their exceptional properties, such as lightweight, superior fatigue life, corrosion resistance, and ease of manufacturing. These advantages make them highly suitable for innovative applications in [...] Read more.
Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP)-laminated composite materials are increasingly recognized as a transformative solution for future structural applications, due to their exceptional properties, such as lightweight, superior fatigue life, corrosion resistance, and ease of manufacturing. These advantages make them highly suitable for innovative applications in various sectors, including aerospace, automotive, marine, energy and defense. As one of the load-carrying members, the composite laminated plate structures are widely used in aircraft structures, such as the fuselage, wing and tail. These thin-walled structures will buckle under compressive or shear loading, which is a major consideration in the structural design process. Due to their high specific strength, laminated FRP composite structures are gaining increasing attention and are widely used in advanced lightweight structures. However, to fully exploit the large post-buckling reserves of FRP structures, their damage behavior and failure modes must be well understood. In this study, a progressive failure analysis based on ANSYS finite element (FE) simulations has been carried out to predict the nonlinear response and failure characteristics of a laminated composite plate under compressive loading. The FE-based progressive failure analysis utilized shell elements based on the Classical Laminate Plate Theory (CLPT) to calculate the in-plane stresses. The failure model employed the 3D failure criterion LaRC04 for damage detection and the stiffness degradation model for damage propagation in an FRP-laminated composite plate structure. The analysis results are found in close agreement with the published simulation and experimental results. This study has proposed an efficient methodology to accurately predict the post-buckling response, i.e., failure modes and collapse loads of laminated FRP composite constructions under compressive loading. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Polymer Composite Materials)
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2294 KB  
Article
Sound-Absorbing Thermoplastic Composite with Helmholtz Resonance
by Eulalia Gliścińska, Marina Michalak and Anna Michalak
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(21), 11349; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152111349 - 23 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1384
Abstract
This work concerns a thermoplastic composite manufactured by thermal pressing of a nonwoven layered system. The composite structure consists of two layers: a thicker porous fibrous/plastic layer that responds to sound absorption and a thinner, rigid polymer (plastic) layer on the outside, enhancing [...] Read more.
This work concerns a thermoplastic composite manufactured by thermal pressing of a nonwoven layered system. The composite structure consists of two layers: a thicker porous fibrous/plastic layer that responds to sound absorption and a thinner, rigid polymer (plastic) layer on the outside, enhancing sound absorption at selected frequencies. The novelty of this work is the creation of two interconnected holes of different diameters in a real fibrous composite, passing through both composite layers, acting as the neck and cavity of a Helmholtz resonator. Both the neck and the cavity are located within the composite structure, creating the shape of interconnected cylinders. The sound absorption of a composite with a varying neck diameter and a constant cavity diameter was studied using an impedance tube. The effect of the neck diameter on the resonant frequency and the corresponding sound absorption value was investigated. For various neck diameter variants, the resonant frequency was calculated using not constant, but a variable effective neck length. To achieve this, appropriate neck length corrections have been made for each neck diameter. The experimental results are consistent with the calculated results. These studies show that based on the relationship between the resonant frequency and the resonator neck diameter determined for a given composite, the resonant frequency (absorption peak) can be controlled by changing the neck diameter. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Polymer Composite Materials)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop