Advanced Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites in Automotive Applications
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: nanomaterials; textile structural composites; green composites; nanocomposites; biomechanical engineering of fibrous structures; thermo-mechanical characterization of materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue will focus on the materials science of polymer-based composites utilized in automotive components. It will address the chemistry, structure, properties, and performance of polymeric reinforcements and matrices employed in various vehicle parts (cars, buses, railways, etc.). Significant emphasis will be placed on the incorporation and effects of nanoscale and microscale fillers in enhancing specific functional properties (e.g., mechanical strength, thermal stability, barrier properties, electrical conductivity, flame retardancy).
We invite contributions detailing the processing techniques and conditions crucial for achieving targeted material characteristics essential for diverse automotive applications. Dedicated papers are encouraged on specific component areas such as exterior panels, interior trim, seating structures, brake components, flooring, springs, wheels, and battery enclosures. Research integrating fundamental theoretical models describing structure–property relationships with experimental data is particularly welcome.
This Special Issue is timely, given the automotive industry's challenges, including resource constraints, environmental imperatives, and the need for accelerated material development cycles. It aims to provide a foundational resource for researchers in academia and industry developing next-generation composite materials. The collection will serve as a valuable reference for understanding the materials science principles underpinning advanced automotive composites.
With the global shift towards alternative fuels and electric/hybrid vehicles, discussions on the inherent advantages of lightweight polymeric composites for weight reduction, energy efficiency, and life-cycle sustainability are highly relevant. The potential for novel lightweight composite materials enabling future automotive designs will be explored. Challenges and opportunities from a materials perspective will be discussed in detail. We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Rajesh Mishra
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. 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
- polymer-based composites
- automotive components
- nanoscale fillers
- lightweight materials
- mechanical strength
- thermal stability
- barrier properties
- electrical conductivity
- flame retardancy
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