Polymer Processing and Engineering
A section of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360).
Section Information
Polymer processing is commonly defined as the “activity performed on polymeric materials to increase their usefulness”. It involves not only the shaping but also the synthesis, transformation, compounding, functionalization, and stabilization of materials. The combination of these operations determines the final properties and performance of any polymeric product: “Polymer, Processing and Performance all go hand in hand and cannot be decoupled”. Today the development of new materials with improved properties and easy processability is particularly urgent because it offers relief to the environment and increases the acceptance of plastic products. New materials and products cannot occur without improving existing machines, which can even lead to radically new manufacturing processes. The past decade has seen great progress in the design and control of polymer processing operations along with the development of innovative products and fabrication methods. Most of these successes are scattered throughout a wide scientific and technical literature. The purpose of this section is to coherently collect these studies and present them to a wide industrial and academic community.
Topics include, but are not limited to the following:
- New process development
- New materials, additives, and fillers
- Reactive extrusion and co-extrusion
- Mixing and blending
- Long-fiber composites
- Composites pultrusion and laminates
- Fiber spinning and electrospinning
- Film casting and film blowing
- Blow molding and Thermoforming
- Injection, compression, transfer, and rotational molding
- Additive manufacturing and 3D printing
- Bio-printing and bio-fabrication
- Foaming and barrier properties
- Coating and thin films
- Welding and sintering
- Surface treatments
- Process control
- Simulation and optimization of process
- Products testing and analysis
- Polymer rheology and mechanical properties
- Polymer design
- Modified polymer materials
Editorial Board
Topical Advisory Panel
Special Issues
Following special issues within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Advances in Polymeric Textiles (Deadline: 10 June 2023)
- Mechanical Behavior of Polymers: Processing and Characterization (Deadline: 15 June 2023)
- Natural Polysaccharide: Synthesis, Modification and Application (Deadline: 15 June 2023)
- Advances in Surface Functionalization of Polymer Nanostructures (Deadline: 15 June 2023)
- Polymers Additive Manufacturing in Sports and Protective Equipment (Deadline: 15 June 2023)
- Advances in Sustainable Polymers: Processing, Modeling, Properties and Applications (Deadline: 20 June 2023)
- Advances of Multifunctional Technical Textile Materials from Natural, Synthetic, Bio and Functional Polymers (Deadline: 20 June 2023)
- Functional Polymeric Adsorbents II (Deadline: 20 June 2023)
- Modeling and Simulations of Smart and Responsive Polymers (Deadline: 20 June 2023)
- Advanced Polymeric Materials in Injection Molding (Deadline: 20 June 2023)
- Processing of High Performance Polymeric Materials: Modeling and Characterization (Deadline: 25 June 2023)
- Polymers and Biopolymers for Tissue Engineering (Deadline: 25 June 2023)
- Advanced Polymeric Films II (Deadline: 25 June 2023)
- Polymer-Based Dielectric Composites (Deadline: 25 June 2023)
- Polymers for Additive Manufacturing (Deadline: 25 June 2023)
- Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites for Building and Bridge Applications (Deadline: 30 June 2023)
- Polymers and Nanotechnology for Industry 4.0 (Deadline: 30 June 2023)
- Functional Polymers: Interaction, Surface, Processing and Applications II (Deadline: 30 June 2023)
- Rheology of Polymers and Polymer Composites (Deadline: 30 June 2023)
- Artificial Intelligence Enhanced Design of Polymer Materials and Manufacturing (Deadline: 5 July 2023)
- Injection Molding of Filler-Loaded Polymer Composites (Deadline: 15 July 2023)
- 3D Printing of Polymer-Based Composite Materials (Deadline: 15 July 2023)
- Biomedical Applications of Polymer and Composite Based Additive Manufacturing (Deadline: 20 July 2023)
- Polymeric Membranes: Fabrication, Characterization, and Applications (Deadline: 20 July 2023)
- Polymers and Polymer-Based Composites for Additive Manufacturing II (Deadline: 20 July 2023)
- Advanced Polymer Composite Materials: Processing, Modeling, Properties and Applications II (Deadline: 21 July 2023)
- Advances in Polymeric Biomaterials: Drug Delivery and Tissue Engineering II (Deadline: 25 July 2023)
- New Polymeric Materials for Extreme Environments (Deadline: 25 July 2023)
- Durability and Degradation of Polymeric Materials II (Deadline: 25 July 2023)
- Recent Advances of Polymer Processing and Molding (Deadline: 25 July 2023)
- Developments in Polymer Processing and Rheology (Deadline: 30 July 2023)
- Smart Polymers and Nanocomposites for 3D Bioprinting (Deadline: 30 July 2023)
- Synthesis, Self-Assembly, and Applications of Block Copolymers (Deadline: 31 July 2023)
- Additive Manufacturing of Reinforced Polymers (Deadline: 31 July 2023)
- Silicone Resins: Synthesis, Modification, Characterization and Its Applications (Deadline: 31 July 2023)
- Polymers for Oilfield Production Chemistry (Deadline: 31 July 2023)
- The Applications and Prospects of Chemosensing Polymers (Deadline: 31 July 2023)
- Recent Advances in Lightweight Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites (Deadline: 31 July 2023)
- Polymer Electrolytes for Batteries (Deadline: 5 August 2023)
- Polymer-Based 3D Printing in the Food Industry (Deadline: 10 August 2023)
- Polymer Micro/Nanofabrication and Manufacturing II (Deadline: 15 August 2023)
- Improvement in Physical Properties of Paper and Natural Fibers (Deadline: 20 August 2023)
- Polymer Composites for 3D Printing II (Deadline: 20 August 2023)
- Advances in Polymer Composites for Automotives (Deadline: 20 August 2023)
- The Properties of Polymers Studied by Deep Learning (Deadline: 25 August 2023)
- Recent Advances in Injection Molding and Special Injection Molding Technologies (Deadline: 25 August 2023)
- 3D Printing and Customized Additive Manufacturing of Advanced Sustainable Polymers and Composites (Deadline: 25 August 2023)
- Additive Manufacturing Technology of Polymeric Nanomaterials (Deadline: 30 August 2023)
- Extrusion of Polymer Blends and Composites (Deadline: 31 August 2023)
- Thermal Processing of Starch-Based Polymers (Deadline: 31 August 2023)
- Overviews on the Progress of Epoxy Resins: Preparation, Processing, Properties and Applications (Deadline: 31 August 2023)
- Current Challenges to Produce Functional Polymer Films and Surfaces with Innovations in Their Applications (Deadline: 31 August 2023)
- Wood Polymer Composites in Engineering and Environmental Applications (Deadline: 31 August 2023)
- Structural and Dynamic Properties of Synthetic Polymers in Complex Environments (Deadline: 15 September 2023)
- 3D Printing of Medical and Dental Polymers (Deadline: 15 September 2023)
- Processing, Modification and Application of Lignin (Deadline: 20 September 2023)
- Advanced Polymeric Materials for 3D/4D Printing Technology (Deadline: 20 September 2023)
- Advances in Polymer Processing and Molding (Deadline: 20 September 2023)
- Recent Developments in Functional Polyelectrolyte Systems (Deadline: 20 September 2023)
- Applications of Polymer Film in Food Science (Deadline: 25 September 2023)
- Applications of Lasers in Polymer Science (Deadline: 25 September 2023)
- Polymer Materials in Dentistry (Deadline: 25 September 2023)
- Miscible and Immiscible Polymer Blends: Achievements and Development Perspectives (Deadline: 30 September 2023)
- Additive Manufacturing of Polymer-Based Composite Materials (Deadline: 30 September 2023)
- Polymeric Composites in Road and Bridge Engineering: Characterization, Production and Application II (Deadline: 30 September 2023)
- Preparation and Application of Rubber Composites (Deadline: 30 September 2023)
- Recycling of Engineering Polymers: Process and Physico-Chemical Changes (Deadline: 30 September 2023)
- Mechanical and Structure–Property Relationships of Polymer Composites (Deadline: 10 October 2023)
- Block Copolymers: Synthesis, Self-Assembly and Application (Deadline: 15 October 2023)
- Polymer Materials and Design Processes for Additively Manufactured Products (Deadline: 20 October 2023)
- Polymer Surface Modification: From Structure to Properties (Deadline: 20 October 2023)
- Preparation of Polymer Materials via Electrospinning Technology (Deadline: 20 October 2023)
- Progress in 3D Printing II (Deadline: 20 October 2023)
- Rheology and Processing of Polymer Materials (Deadline: 25 October 2023)
- Advanced Manufacturing in Polymer Processing (Deadline: 25 October 2023)
- Function of Polymers in Encapsulation Process II (Deadline: 25 October 2023)
- Development and Application of Polymer-Based Materials for Printable Sensors (Deadline: 25 October 2023)
- Multifunctional Polymer Molding Processing of Polymers II (Deadline: 25 October 2023)
- Processing of Polymeric Materials (Deadline: 25 October 2023)
- Injection Moulding of Polymer Composites (Deadline: 25 October 2023)
- Innovative Injection Molding and Polymer Processing Technology (Deadline: 30 October 2023)
- Additive Manufacturing of (Bio) Polymeric Materials (Deadline: 30 October 2023)
- Laser Modification and Etching of Polymer Material Surfaces (Deadline: 30 October 2023)
- New Progress of Polymeric Materials in Advanced Manufacturing (Deadline: 31 October 2023)
- Recent Advances in Injection Molding of Polymers (Deadline: 5 November 2023)
- Advances in Polymer Microfluidic Chips (Deadline: 5 November 2023)
- Additive Manufacturing of Polymers (Deadline: 5 November 2023)
- Advance in 3D/4D Printing of Polymeric Materials (Deadline: 10 November 2023)
- Polyimide: Preparation, Characteristics, Properties, Processing, and Applications (Deadline: 15 November 2023)
- Polymers in Roll to Roll Processes (Deadline: 15 November 2023)
- Advanced Measurement, Prediction, and Testing Techniques in Polymer Manufacturing, Processing, and End-Use II (Deadline: 15 November 2023)
- Fabrication of Polymer Materials Using 3D/4D Printing for Different Applications (Deadline: 20 November 2023)
- Eco-Design of Polymeric Materials (Deadline: 20 November 2023)
- Design, Manufacturing and Injection Molding of Polymeric Materials and Composites (Deadline: 25 November 2023)
- Advances in Laser Processing of Polymer Materials (Deadline: 25 November 2023)
- Eco-Friendly Polymers and Polymer Composites (Deadline: 25 November 2023)
- Polymer Materials and Technology: Dental 3D Printing (Deadline: 25 November 2023)
- Polymeric-Based Materials for Stimuli-Responsive Applications (Deadline: 25 November 2023)
- Functional Metal-Polymer Composites: Formation, Properties and Applications II (Deadline: 25 November 2023)
- 3D Printing Technology and Additive Manufacturing in Polymer Materials (Deadline: 30 November 2023)
- 3D/4D Printing for Polymer Composites (Deadline: 30 November 2023)
- Green Polymer Foam from Sustainable Renewable Resources and Its Applications (Deadline: 30 November 2023)
- Advanced Additive Processes and 3D Printing for Polymer Composites (Deadline: 30 November 2023)
- Recent Progress in Polymer Coatings (Deadline: 30 November 2023)
- Structure-Property Relationships in Natural Polymers (Deadline: 30 November 2023)
- Advances in Multifunctional Polymer Manufacturing (Deadline: 30 November 2023)
- Issues in the Comparison between Artificially and Naturally Degraded Polymer Materials (Deadline: 30 November 2023)
- Ultra-Stretchable Polymers for Flexible Electronics and Energy Storage and Conversion Devices (Deadline: 30 November 2023)
- Polymer Scaffold for Tissue Engineering Applications (Deadline: 15 December 2023)
- Advanced Manufacturing of Polymeric Biomaterials (Deadline: 15 December 2023)
- Durability and Modification of Wood Surfaces II (Deadline: 20 December 2023)
- Polymer-Based Adsorbents II (Deadline: 20 December 2023)
- Injection Molding Process in Polymer Processing (Deadline: 30 December 2023)
- Laser Processing of Polymers: Induced Effects and Functionalization (Deadline: 31 December 2023)
- Polymeric Nanocomposites for Wearable Applications (Deadline: 31 December 2023)
- Manufacturing and Processing of Fibre Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites (Deadline: 31 December 2023)
- Melt Electrospinning of Polymer Fibers (Deadline: 31 December 2023)
- Permanently Porous Polymers (Deadline: 31 December 2023)
- Surfaces and Aesthetic Properties of Polymers (Deadline: 31 December 2023)
- 3D Printing of Polymer Composites (Deadline: 31 December 2023)
- Polymeric Textiles (Deadline: 31 December 2023)
- Plasma Processes for Polymers II (Deadline: 31 December 2023)
- Recent Advances in Polymer Processing (Deadline: 25 January 2024)
- Polymer-Based Materials for Drug Delivery and Biomedical Applications (Deadline: 31 January 2024)
- Advances in Screw Processing of Polymeric Materials - In Memory of Professor James Lindsay White (Deadline: 31 March 2024)
- Advances in Reinforced Polymer Materials for Additive Manufacturing, Product Design, Processing and Their Applications (Deadline: 1 December 2024)
- Advances in Polymer Processing Technologies: In Honor of Prof. Dr. Geoffrey Robert Mitchell’s 75th Birthday (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
Topical Collections
Following topical collections within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Advanced Manufacturing for Polymers
- Biopolymers and Biopolymer Based Composites: Processing, Properties, Durability
- Feature Papers in Polymer Processing and Engineering
- Plastics Technology and Engineering
- Polymer Composite Processing
- Polymer/Biopolymer Stabilization and Degradation
- Progress in Polymer Processing and Engineering