Recent Advances in Multicomponent Polymer Systems

Dear Colleagues,

polymers are present in all areas of daily life, from the simplest applications to the most complex and demanding sectors. One of the fundamental reasons for this success is the relative simplicity of designing and preparing materials with specific characteristics. Not surprisingly, the relationship between the molecular structures and final properties of these materials has been the subject of extensive theoretical and experimental studies for many decades. For these materials, it is possible to control their electrical, mechanical and rheological behaviour not only through the chemical structure and the dimensions of the individual chains, but also through the combination of different components and phases, which represents an unrivalled technological advantage in many applications.

Multicomponent systems are generally polymer blends and composites. They are obtained by combining two or more components (i.e. organic polymers, inorganic particles, fibers, etc.) to obtain products with superior properties, compared to the single constituents. For example, the polymer blend method using commercial polymers is generally believed to be the most effective way to develop new functional polymers with high flexibility and versatility, compared to the synthesis of a new functional polymer, from both the practical and economical viewpoints. Multicomponent polymer systems can also be easily prepared by adding fillers with specific characteristics, which may be mere reinforcing materials, as well as providing specific properties to develop, for instance, conductive polymer-based materials, or drug-delivery systems.

Needless to say, the need to design novel synthetic routes to prepare materials with tailored properties is overwhelmed by the ease of preparation of multicomponent polymer systems. However, the theoretical understanding and modelling of the behaviour of the resulting blends and composites still require important developments. For researchers interested in making both structural and functional materials, these systems represent an intriguing possibility to create stable structures for a wide range of conditions.

This Special Issue collects a series of research and review documents that examine the latest advances in the field of polymer blends and composites from different perspectives, covering new materials, property characterizations, new processing methods and products. The aim is to contribute to the understanding of the relationships between blends and composites morphologies and their final properties. We look forward to receiving contributions dealing with the related research fields. We hope this initiative will encourage researchers to fill the gap to obtain polymeric blends and composites for advanced technological applications.

Dr. Andrea Sorrentino
Dr. Maria Laura Di Lorenzo
Guest Editors

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