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Structural Design and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Composites (Second Edition)

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 7274

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yanxiang Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Interests: polymer materials in the application of composite materials; functional fiber composite materials preparation and characterization; carbon fiber and its composite; fiber reinforced composites; organic fiber composite; modification of chemical fibers and polymer materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yujun Bai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Interests: advanced energy materials; materials chemistry; applied materials and interfaces; materials science and engineering; composite oxides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Materials is devoted to “Structural Design and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Composites” to develop structural applications for textile fiber composite materials, fundamental approaches for analysis and design for tensile, shear, and flexural design are needed; the nature of fiber composite materials, the conventional fibers and nanoscale fiber composite lie in chemistry and physics in fibers and textiles, high-performance fibers and composites, carbon nanotube fibers and graphene fibers, multifunctional and multi-material fibers, environmentally friendly fibers, and fiber-related materials. This Special Issue aims to encourage the exchange of ideas among material scientists, energy/environmental/biomedical researchers, engineers, and other researchers who are active at the frontiers of all fiber-related fields. The latest knowledge on advances in theoretical, experimental, and structural design and analysis of fiber composites is also welcome.

Potential topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: polymer materials in the application of composite materials; functional fiber composite materials preparation and characterization; carbon fiber and its composite; fiber-reinforced composites; organic fiber composites; modification of chemical fibers and polymer materials; laboratory testing methods; laminated materials; nanotechnologies in fibers and polymers; design, fabrication, and application of nanofibers; natural fibers and biomimetic polymers; smart fibers; textiles; and wearable intelligent devices.

There are no particular restrictions on the thematic areas of this Special Issue as long as the submissions are related to the structural design and analysis of fiber composites. The readers and authors of Materials are encouraged to send their latest research studies in these areas, with an emphasis on experimental validation and empirical proof for all areas related to the structural design and analysis of fiber composites.

Prof. Dr. Yanxiang Wang
Prof. Dr. Yujun Bai
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. Materials 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 2600 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

  • carbon fiber
  • laminated
  • fibers
  • textiles
  • polymer composites

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1756 KiB  
Article
Assessing Corrosion Effects on the Electrical Performance of Wearable Photovoltaic Cells: A Comparative Analysis of Current Consistency and Resistance
by Amit Talukder, Charles Freeman, Caroline Kobia and Reuben F. V. Burch
Materials 2025, 18(2), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18020267 - 9 Jan 2025
Viewed by 613
Abstract
Wearable photovoltaic (PV) cells offer a sustainable and lightweight solution for energy-harvesting applications, including safety gear and protective textiles. Despite their growing adoption, the application of PV cells in marine environments is limited due to the corrosive conditions that can degrade performance. This [...] Read more.
Wearable photovoltaic (PV) cells offer a sustainable and lightweight solution for energy-harvesting applications, including safety gear and protective textiles. Despite their growing adoption, the application of PV cells in marine environments is limited due to the corrosive conditions that can degrade performance. This study evaluates the impact of corrosion on commercially sourced PV cells by analyzing maximum current and electrical resistance. This study used eight samples of two types of PV panel cells and tested them in corrosion conditions, and current and electrical resistance values were recorded. A paired sample t-test was used to assess variations in current and electrical resistance, while a repeated MANOVA compared the performance of two sample types during corrosion. The results reveal that corrosion significantly reduced current values and increased electrical resistance in Sample Type (1), while Sample Type (2) remained relatively stable. The MANOVA findings show a significant decrease in current for both samples, though the magnitude of reduction is similar between types. However, when combining both sample types, corrosion has no significant effect on electrical resistance. These results highlight the need for developing more durable, corrosion-resistant PV cells suitable for marine applications, emphasizing their potential for sustainable and practical use in harsh environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Design and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Composites (Second Edition))
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20 pages, 12505 KiB  
Article
Quality Investigation of Pultruded Carbon Fiber Panels Subjected to Four-Point Flexure via Fiber Optic Sensing
by Zachariah Arwood, Stephen Young, Darren Foster and Dayakar Penumadu
Materials 2025, 18(1), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18010166 - 3 Jan 2025
Viewed by 854
Abstract
Pultruded carbon fiber-reinforced composites are attractive to the wind energy industry due to the rapid production of highly aligned unidirectional composites with enhanced fiber volume fractions and increased specific strength and stiffness. However, high volume carbon fiber manufacturing remains cost-prohibitive. This study investigates [...] Read more.
Pultruded carbon fiber-reinforced composites are attractive to the wind energy industry due to the rapid production of highly aligned unidirectional composites with enhanced fiber volume fractions and increased specific strength and stiffness. However, high volume carbon fiber manufacturing remains cost-prohibitive. This study investigates the feasibility of a pultruded low-cost textile carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composite as a promising material in spar cap production was undertaken based on mechanical response to four-point flexure loading. As spar caps are primarily subjected to flexural loading, large-span four-point flexure was considered, and coupon testing was restricted to tensile modulus and compression strength assessment. High-resolution spatial fiber optic strain sensing was utilized to determine spatial strain distribution during four-point flexure, revealing consistent strain along the length of the part and proved to be an excellent option for process manufacturing quality examination. Additionally, holes with diameters of 2.49 mm, 5.08 mm, and 1.93 mm were drilled through the thickness of full-width parts to determine the feasibility of structural health monitoring of pultruding parts internal to wind blades via fiber optic strain sensing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Design and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Composites (Second Edition))
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12 pages, 4246 KiB  
Article
Laboratory Investigation on Dynamic Complex Modulus of FRPU Composite
by Jarosław Górszczyk, Konrad Malicki and Arkadiusz Kwiecień
Materials 2024, 17(24), 6229; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17246229 - 20 Dec 2024
Viewed by 954
Abstract
Civil engineering structures are subject to both static and dynamic loadings. This applies especially to buildings in seismic areas as well as bridges, viaducts, and road and railway structures loaded with road or rail traffic. One of the solutions used to repair and [...] Read more.
Civil engineering structures are subject to both static and dynamic loadings. This applies especially to buildings in seismic areas as well as bridges, viaducts, and road and railway structures loaded with road or rail traffic. One of the solutions used to repair and strengthen such structures in the event of emergency damage are fibre-reinforced polyurethanes (FRPUs). The article proposes a laboratory method for determining the dynamic complex modulus of FRPU composite tape. The theoretical basis for determining the complex modulus for the tested material is presented. Laboratory tests were carried out using the tensile method for four cyclic loading frequencies and a cyclic load ratio equal to 0.5. Under the assumed test conditions, the material showed a viscoelastic performance with a dominant elastic part (storage modulus). For a frequency of 0.1 Hz, the viscous part (loss modulus) was about 8% of the storage modulus value, while for a frequency of 10 Hz, this value was about 5%. For a loading frequency of 0.1 Hz, the elastic part of the complex modulus was about 1160 MPa, while for a frequency of 10 Hz, it was about 1790 MPa. With the increase in loading frequency, the absolute value of the complex modulus increased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Design and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Composites (Second Edition))
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19 pages, 4141 KiB  
Article
Study on the Curing Behaviors of Benzoxazine Nitrile-Based Resin Featuring Fluorene Structures and the Excellent Properties of Their Glass Fiber-Reinforced Laminates
by Mingzhen Xu, Lunshuai He, Jiaqu Zhang, Zexu Fan and Bo Li
Materials 2024, 17(24), 6167; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17246167 - 17 Dec 2024
Viewed by 754
Abstract
Benzoxazine and o-phthalonitrile resin are two of the most eminent polymer matrices within high-performance fiber-reinforced resin-based composite materials. Studying the influence modalities of their structures and forming processes on performance can furnish a theoretical basis for the design and manufacturing of superior performance [...] Read more.
Benzoxazine and o-phthalonitrile resin are two of the most eminent polymer matrices within high-performance fiber-reinforced resin-based composite materials. Studying the influence modalities of their structures and forming processes on performance can furnish a theoretical basis for the design and manufacturing of superior performance composite materials. In this study, we initially incorporated a fluorene structure into the molecular main chain through molecular design to prepare a fluorene-containing benzoxazine nitrile-based resin. The polymerization reaction behavior and process of this resin were monitored meticulously using differential scanning calorimetry and infrared spectroscopy. Meanwhile, by manipulating the pre-polymerization reaction conditions, the impact of the pre-polymerization reaction on the polymerization behavior of the resin monomer was investigated, respectively. Subsequently, diverse glass fiber-reinforced resin-based composite materials were fabricated via hot-pressing in combination with a programmed temperature rise process. Through the characterization of structural strength and thermomechanical properties, it was found that the composite laminates all manifested outstanding bending strength (~600 MPa) and modulus (>30 GPa). Nevertheless, with the elevation of the post-curing temperature, the structural strength and modulus of the composite materials displayed distinct variation laws. This study also discussed the variation laws of the thermal properties of the composite materials by analyzing the glass transition temperature and crosslinking density. Additionally, the interface bonding effect between the glass fiber and the resin matrix was deliberated through the analysis of the cross-sectional morphology of the composite laminates. The results demonstrated that this work proposes an improved matrix resin system with outstanding thermal stability and mechanical properties that broadens the foundation and ideas for subsequent research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Design and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Composites (Second Edition))
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14 pages, 14063 KiB  
Article
High Absorption of Electromagnetic Waves Based on 3D PMMA@Mxene@Co3O4 Composite Microsphere
by Jinghe Guo, Yanxiang Wang, Lanzhou Wang, Bohan Ding, Yongbo Wang, Yue Sun, Shichao Dai, Donglong Wang and Shishuai Bi
Materials 2024, 17(22), 5427; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17225427 - 6 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1335
Abstract
With the increasing demand for effective electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbers due to the proliferation of electronic devices and 5G communication systems, traditional wave-absorbing materials can no longer meet the current requirements. Thus, this research introduces a three-dimensional (3D) composite material consisting of PMMA@Mxene@Co₃O₄ [...] Read more.
With the increasing demand for effective electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbers due to the proliferation of electronic devices and 5G communication systems, traditional wave-absorbing materials can no longer meet the current requirements. Thus, this research introduces a three-dimensional (3D) composite material consisting of PMMA@Mxene@Co₃O₄ microspheres, prepared through in situ self-assembly and hydrothermal growth. The strong electrical conductivity of Mxene, combined with the magnetic loss of Co₃O₄, ensures enhanced dielectric–magnetic synergy, leading to excellent EMW absorption. The study investigates the influence of varying Co₃O₄ content on the electromagnetic properties of the composite. Experimental results show that the optimal sample, with a thickness of 2.5 mm, achieves a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −52.88 dB at 6.88 GHz and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 5.28 GHz. This work highlights the potential of 3D PMMA@Mxene@Co₃O₄ composites as high-performance microwave absorbers, providing a promising solution to EMW pollution. The findings offer valuable insights into material design strategies, demonstrate a promising pathway for developing lightweight, high-performance EMW absorbing materials by optimizing impedance matching and utilizing advanced microstructure design techniques. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Design and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Composites (Second Edition))
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11 pages, 5219 KiB  
Article
A New Approach to Implementing 3D-Printed Material Structures for Protective Gloves with the Use of Ultrasonic and Contact Welding Processes: A Preliminary Study
by Emilia Irzmańska, Agnieszka Cichocka, Adam K. Puszkarz, Olga Olejnik and Paulina Kropidłowska
Materials 2024, 17(22), 5404; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17225404 - 5 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1169
Abstract
This study presents a new approach to developing protective material structures for personal protective equipment (PPE), and in particular for protective gloves, with the use of ultrasonic and contact welding processes. The goal was to assess the quality of joints (welds) obtained between [...] Read more.
This study presents a new approach to developing protective material structures for personal protective equipment (PPE), and in particular for protective gloves, with the use of ultrasonic and contact welding processes. The goal was to assess the quality of joints (welds) obtained between a synthetic polyamide knitted fabric (PA) and selected polymers (PLA, ABS, PET-G) in the developed materials using X-Ray microtomography (micro-CT). Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed to determine the joint area produced by the selected welding methods for the examined materials. In this article, we assumed that obtaining a greater contact area seems to be the most promising from the point of view of future PPE utility tests characterizing protective glove structures. This research is a continuation of our previous study focused on functional 3D-printed polymeric materials for protective gloves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Design and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Composites (Second Edition))
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18 pages, 7020 KiB  
Article
Axial Impact Response of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Structures in High-Speed Trains Based on Filament Winding Process
by Aiqin Tian, Kang Sun, Quanwei Che, Beichen Jiang, Xiangang Song, Lirong Guo, Dongdong Chen and Shoune Xiao
Materials 2024, 17(20), 4970; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17204970 - 11 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 964
Abstract
The continuous increase in the operating speed of rail vehicles demands higher requirements for passive safety protection and lightweight design. This paper focuses on an energy-absorbing component (circular tubes) at the end of a train. Thin-walled carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) tubes were prepared [...] Read more.
The continuous increase in the operating speed of rail vehicles demands higher requirements for passive safety protection and lightweight design. This paper focuses on an energy-absorbing component (circular tubes) at the end of a train. Thin-walled carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) tubes were prepared using the filament winding process. Through a combination of sled impact tests and finite element simulations, the effects of a chamfered trigger (Tube I) and embedded trigger (Tube II) on the impact response and crashworthiness of the structure were investigated. The results showed that both triggering methods led to the progressive end failure of the tubes. Tube I exhibited a mean crush force (MCF) of 891.89 kN and specific energy absorption (SEA) of 38.69 kJ/kg. In comparison, the MCF and SEA of Tube II decreased by 21.2% and 21.9%, respectively. The reason for this reduction is that the presence of the embedded trigger in Tube II restricts the expansion of the inner plies (plies 4 to 6), thereby affecting the overall energy absorption mechanism. Based on the validated finite element model, a modeling strategy study was conducted, including the failure parameters (DFAILT/DFAILC), the friction coefficient, and the interfacial strength. It was found that the prediction results are significantly influenced by modeling methods. Specifically, as the interfacial strength decreases, the tube wall is more prone to circumferential cracking or overall buckling under axial impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structural Design and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Composites (Second Edition))
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