Latest Developments in Organic Matrix Composites and Multifunctional Materials

Dear Colleagues,

Until now, thermosetting matrices have been the most commonly used matrices for structural parts. The use of thermoplastics, even for large parts, seems to be emerging due to their toughness and recyclability (compared to thermosets). Natural fibre reinforcements show interesting characteristics for secondary parts: they are light, environmentally friendly, relatively cheap to produce, renewable, and with enough high stiffness and strength. Moreover, in order to improve out-of-plane through-thickness properties when they are needed, 3D composites have been developed.

In recent years, the introduction of multifunctional composite material systems has made it possible to further improve primary functions, such as the stiffness associated with lightness, by combining thermoforming and injection manufacturing processes (overmoulded laminates), or impact behaviour, by using composites reinforced with different types of fibres, with some chosen for their rigidity (carbon) and others for their damping capacity (flax).

Thanks to classical manufacturing methods such as the ply lay-up process or 3D printing, it is relatively easy to embed sensors and actuators in composite materials at a mesoscopic scale, or to print layers with specific patterns often bioinspired to produce multifunctions and primary functions such as self-control or self-healing, shape change, and energy harvesting.

This Special Issue focuses on the development of new composites, especially multifunctional composites, and the study of their properties (included long-term behavior).

Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:

• New components (matrices, reinforcements) and manufacturing as 3D printing;
• Eco-friendly composite materials (matrix, reinforcements);
• Bioinspired composites
• Structural health monitoring (sensors and actuators);
• Self-healing materials and damage control;
• Shape control, energy harvesting;
• Meta composites

Dr. Michelle Salvia
Guest Editor

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• composite
• high-performance composite
• durability
• SHM
• self-healing
• eco-friendly composite