materials-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Advanced Materials for Circularity: Recycling of Polymer Blends and Composites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 1298

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute & Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, University of Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
Interests: recycling; sustainability; environment; public policies; polyolefins; rheology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Associação Fraunhofer Portugal Research, Rua Alfredo Allen 455/461, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Interests: rheology; polymer rheology; rheometry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores cutting-edge advancements for creating high-performance polymer blends and composites using recycled materials. The main focus of this Issue is on innovative polymer waste management, state-of-the-art recycling technologies, and novel compounding approaches and how they shape the properties and applications of sustainable polymer blends and composite materials. Contributions should highlight improved strategies for polymer waste management from different sources (WEEE, packaging, automotive, and household appliances, etc.), recycling approaches (mechanical, chemical, dissolution, or combinations of these), and innovative compounding technologies, aiming at the maximization of recyclate incorporation into polymer blends and composites. Publications can address the development and optimization of technological approaches and the characterization of the analytical, mechanical, thermal, and long-term stability of the resulting blends and composites.

The aim of this Special Issue is to showcase the critical role of polymer science, polymer engineering, transdisciplinarity, and multiple stakeholder engagement in fostering a circular economy by transforming waste into valuable resources.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Advanced polymer waste sorting and pre-treatment technologies for complex waste materials.
  • Next-generation polymer recycling processes for enhanced recyclate quality and incorporation in polymer blends and compounds.
  • Compounding and formulation strategies for high-performance recycled polymers.
  • Characterization and optimization of analytical, physical, mechanical and end performance of recyclate polymer compounds.
  • Life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis of polymer blends and compounds containing recyclates.
  • Policy instruments, market dynamics, and consumer behavior in recyclate polymer blends and composites

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Susana Filipe
Dr. Vitor C. Barroso
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 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-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 blends and composites
  • recyclates
  • circular economy
  • polymer waste
  • recycling
  • transdisciplinarity
  • co-creation

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 (1 paper)

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

Research

22 pages, 13138 KB  
Article
Recycling and Reusing of Waste Aircraft Composites in Thermoplastic and Thermoset Matrices
by Paulina Latko-Durałek, Kamila Sałasińska, Bartłomiej Bereska, Agnieszka Bereska, Anna Czajka-Warowna, Paweł Durałek, Maria Kosarli, Alexia Koutrakou, Michał Sałaciński, Gaylord Booto and Sotirios Grammatikos
Materials 2026, 19(3), 534; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19030534 - 29 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1086
Abstract
Unlike typical fiber-reinforced polymers, aerospace composites consist of 90% carbon and 10% glass fabrics impregnated with thermosetting resin. Due to the strong bonding between fibers and the thermoset nature of the matrix, recycling these materials is particularly challenging. This study evaluates mechanical recycling [...] Read more.
Unlike typical fiber-reinforced polymers, aerospace composites consist of 90% carbon and 10% glass fabrics impregnated with thermosetting resin. Due to the strong bonding between fibers and the thermoset nature of the matrix, recycling these materials is particularly challenging. This study evaluates mechanical recycling of aircraft composite waste via industrial grinding and chemical recycling through a solvolysis process. Recovered fibrous fractions were integrated into an epoxy matrix at 50 wt% loading using hot-pressing and into polyamide 12 at 15 wt% via a twin-screw extrusion process. The mechanical results showed that chemically recycled fibers in epoxy reached a flexural modulus of 9.9 GPa and strength of 112 MPa, significantly outperforming mechanically recycled fillers (6.1 GPa and 98.0 MPa) compared to virgin carbon fibers (11.3 GPa and 132 MPa). In PA12, the addition of chemically recycled fibers yielded a 2.14 GPa modulus and a 67.7 MPa strength. Furthermore, life cycle assessment confirmed that both recycling routes drastically reduce global warming potential and aquatic ecotoxicity compared to landfilling. These findings indicate that while mechanical recycling is simpler, chemical solvolysis provides a superior pathway for the high-value circular reuse of complex aerospace waste in new thermoplastic and thermoset applications. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop