Internationally recognized authority in the field of high-performance polymers and composites. Total research income of £12,119,007 (personal attribution £5,174,200). Currently holds a £1M+ EPSRC grant (EP/P027393/1: High Performance Discontinuous Fiber Composites—a sustainable route to the next generation of composites). Web of Science: 209 publications, 3 edited books, 2516 citations in 2074 articles; average of 100.96 citations/year (18.96 citations/publication) h-index of 25. Google Scholar: 4674 citations (1854 since 2013), h-index of 33, i10-index of 95. Research Gate RG 42.69. 8 patent applications as a co-inventor.

Interests: high performance polymers; high temperature materials; radiation resistance; cyanate esters; bismaleimides; epoxy resins; polyimides; thermoset polymers; engineering thermoplastics; vitrimers; covalent adaptive networks; polymer composites; nanomaterials; wind turbines; satellites; automotive composites; aerospace engineering; flame retardants; monomer synthesis; polymer blends; circular economy; composite recycling; polymer degradation mechanisms; artists’ pigments; historical artefacts

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced composite materials are promising candidates to replace metals in space applications, particularly those involving deployable structures, mirror structures, booms, protective coatings, and spacecraft components, because of their high specific strength resulting from their light weight. The high vacuum, vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation, extreme thermal cycling, and risk of atomic oxygen (AO) erosion, make the space environment a highly aggressive one, severely limiting the durability of composite materials.  When employed in low Earth orbit (LEO), satellites are particularly prone to AO exposure, which plays a major role in the degradation of polymer-based composite materials. Several in orbit tests have been performed by various bodies, such as the European Space Agency (ESA), JAXA, and NASA, in order to understand the resistance of various materials to AO and VUV.
Typically, the composite must display high glass transition temperatures and thermal stability, but must be combined with a good impact resistance in the event of high-speed impact from space debris or microcracking during thermal excursions. Epoxy resins, cyanate esters, and polyimides are the most commonly used composite matrices in this application, with a number of space-qualified resins now commercially available, but extensive research is being undertaken to develop the next generation of polymers. Nanocomposites (which incorporate carbon nanotubes, graphene, or nanosilica) have been shown to improve the performance of polymers in these extreme conditions, and to extend their functional lifetime.
This Special Issue aims to cover the recent progress and trends in the development of new materials (as polymer coatings, composite matrices, or functional nanocomposites) for use in space applications. Submissions are welcome covering, but not limited to, the topics listed below. Types of contributions to this Special Issue can be full research articles, short communications, and reviews focusing on the development of polymers and composites for space applications.

• Measurement of mechanical properties (strength/modulus) of composites for space;
• Development of protective coatings for satellite components;
• Effects of outgassing on polymer properties;
• Examination of degradation mechanisms for space polymers;
• Synthesis of new monomers and polymers (e.g., resins and polymers);
• Production of carbon fiber reinforced light-weight composite materials;
• Multifunctional composites with electrical static discharge properties;
• Multifunctional composites with enhanced thermal conductivity;
• Production of graphene for use in supercapacitors for energy storage.

Prof. Ian Hamerton
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. Molecules 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 2700 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.

• Space materials
• Chemical characterization
• Chemical modification
• Polymerization
• Polymer degradation
• Atomic oxygen
• UV exposure
• Polyimides
• Cyanate ester resins
• Epoxy resins
• Benzoxazine resins
• Fluoropolymers
• Synthesis
• Resins
• Polymers
• Carbon fibers
• Composites
• Graphene
• Polysilsesquioxanes (POSS)
• Nanocomposites
• Mechanical properties