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Advanced Polymer Matrix Nanocomposite Materials (3rd Edition)
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Advanced Polymer Matrix Nanocomposite Materials (3rd Edition)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2026 | Viewed by 891

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Michał Strankowski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Polymer Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, G. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
Interests: polyurethanes; nanocomposites; thermal analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on polymer nanocomposites in the context of comparing the properties of different types of graphene, graphene derivatives and other nanofillers (carbon nanotubes (CNT), montmorillonites (MMT), etc.) introduced into the polymer matrix. In particular, the aim is to present a comparison of various types of nanomodifiers and their influences on the properties of this group of polymer materials.

These new nanocomposites, based on the polymer matrix, exhibit special properties, including strong mechanical properties, thermal stability, and permeability, in comparison to non-modified polymers. This group of materials provides a wide range of application possibilities, with particular importance for applications which require materials with higher thermal or mechanical properties.

This Special Issue, titled “Advanced Polymer Matrix Nanocomposite Materials (3rd Edition)”, will focus on the most recent advances in nanocomposite polymer materials, from the synthesis of polymer nanocomposites and their characterization to the potential application of these materials.

For this Special Issue of Materials, I would like to invite authors to submit original papers and reviews on polymer nanocomposites.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Polymer /graphene nanocomposites;
  • Polymer/CNT nanocomposites;
  • Polymer/MMT nanocomposites;
  • Thermal analysis of the polymer nanocomposite materials;
  • Theory of polymer nanocomposite material characterization;
  • Application of polymer nanocomposites.

Dr. Michał Strankowski
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-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

  • polymers
  • nanocomposites
  • graphene
  • carbon nanotubes
  • montmorillonites
  • thermal analysis

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 922 KB  
Article
Detection of Germanium Nanocrystals as Tracer Materials in Polypropylene via Raman Spectroscopy
by Monique Greiner, Michael Pohlitz, Philipp Kitschke, Aylin Last, Christian K. Müller, Jonathan G. C. Veinot and Michael Heinrich
Materials 2026, 19(11), 2185; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19112185 - 22 May 2026
Viewed by 210
Abstract
Increasing regulatory demands for high-quality plastic recycling create a strong need for novel tracer systems that enable reliable polymer identification and sorting. This feasibility study evaluates germanium nanocrystals (GeNCs) as Raman-detectable tracer materials in polypropylene (PP). The synthesis of GeNC/PP composite materials possessing [...] Read more.
Increasing regulatory demands for high-quality plastic recycling create a strong need for novel tracer systems that enable reliable polymer identification and sorting. This feasibility study evaluates germanium nanocrystals (GeNCs) as Raman-detectable tracer materials in polypropylene (PP). The synthesis of GeNC/PP composite materials possessing various GeNC contents via a solvent-based intercalation process followed by compounding and injection molding is reported. Hydride-terminated GeNCs were synthesized and subsequently functionalized with dodecyl ligands to ensure chemical stability, compatibility with the polymer matrix, and processability under conventional melt-processing conditions. The dodecyl-functionalized GeNCs were successfully stabilized and homogeneously integrated into the PP matrix. Raman spectroscopy demonstrates the clear detection of GeNCs within the composites through a characteristic Ge–Ge optical phonon mode at 296 cm−1, which is well separated from the intrinsic Raman bands of polypropylene. The Raman signal intensity increases systematically with increasing GeNC concentration. Raman mapping reveals an overall homogeneous distribution of the nanocrystals within the polymer, while a slight tendency toward agglomeration is observed at higher loadings. These results demonstrate that GeNCs are well suited as optically detectable tracers for polypropylene and can be reliably identified using Raman spectroscopy, highlighting their potential for tracer-based sorting concepts in advanced recycling and digital material passport applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Matrix Nanocomposite Materials (3rd Edition))
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28 pages, 4810 KB  
Article
Recycled Polypropylene Composites Reinforced with Microcellulose Fibres and Microcellulose-Derived Biochar: Thermal, Rheological and Mechanical Performance
by Wiktor Wyderkiewicz, Justyna Miedzianowska-Masłowska, Anna Sowińska-Baranowska and Marcin Masłowski
Materials 2026, 19(10), 1942; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19101942 - 9 May 2026
Viewed by 323
Abstract
The mechanical recycling of mono-material biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) packaging films produces recycled polypropylene (rPP) with degraded properties, limiting its use in higher-performance applications. This study investigates rPP reinforcement with 6–12 µm microcellulose fibres (MCFs, 2–10 pbw) and microcellulose-derived biochar (BC, 5–20 pbw), [...] Read more.
The mechanical recycling of mono-material biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) packaging films produces recycled polypropylene (rPP) with degraded properties, limiting its use in higher-performance applications. This study investigates rPP reinforcement with 6–12 µm microcellulose fibres (MCFs, 2–10 pbw) and microcellulose-derived biochar (BC, 5–20 pbw), characterized by DSC, TGA/DTG, MVR/MFR, temperature-dependent rheology, mechanical testing and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. Both fillers acted as heterogeneous nucleating agents, shifting crystallization by up to 4 °C and increasing crystallinity by 2–4%. MCF introduced an additional low-temperature degradation step, whereas BC increased onset and peak degradation temperatures by up to 20 °C and increased char yield. Low MCF loadings increased MVR/MFR by 20–25% and reduced melt viscosity, while BC decreased flow indices by up to 50% and stiffened the melt. Tensile and flexural moduli increased by 15–25% with MCF and 40–50% with BC, with a stiffness–toughness trade-off at the highest BC contents. MCF reduced the water contact angle to 63.0° at 10 pbw, while BC increased it to 108.1° at 20 pbw, indicating opposite effects on surface wettability. Converting a single cellulosic feedstock into fibrous or carbonised fillers enables bio-based upgrading of rPP, in line with circular economy principles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Matrix Nanocomposite Materials (3rd Edition))
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