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Polymers
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Multiscale Design for Polymer Advanced Manufacturing
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Multiscale Design for Polymer Advanced Manufacturing

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Smart and Functional Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 2889

Editors

Prof. Dr. Yanjie Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Special Robot Technology, Hohai University, Changzhou 213022, China
Interests: smart materials and structures; polymer based sensors and actuators; advanced bionics system and robotics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wei Cai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, China
Interests: fractional modeling of mechanical properties for soft materials; intelligent design and optimization of structures; power-law frequency-dependent attenuation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer-based components have been widely applied in multifunctional systems, such as soft robotics, wearable electronics, energy storage, and biomedical devices. This Special Issue explores the synergistic interplay among polymeric mechanical properties, multiscale structural design, and manufacturing technologies. It is focused on cutting-edge advancements in polymer functionalities (e.g., deformation mechanisms, stimuli responsiveness, sustainability). By fostering dialogue across the “property–structure–process–application” continuum, this special issue aims to accelerate the development of intelligent, sustainable polymer systems poised to address global challenges in healthcare, environmental resilience, and advanced manufacturing. Cross-disciplinary studies bridging materials science, mechanics, and systems engineering are particularly encouraged.

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

  1. Mechanical properties of polymers, including modeling and simulation.
  2. Microstructure control in polymer additive manufacturing, including the impact of 3D/4D printing parameters (temperature fields, shear fields) on crystalline–amorphous phase transitions and functionally graded material properties.
  3. Electroactive polymers.

Prof. Dr. Yanjie Wang
Dr. Wei Cai
Guest Editors

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers 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.

Keywords

  • mechanical properties
  • multiscale design
  • advanced manufacturing
  • 3D/4D printing
  • crystalline–amorphous phase transitions
  • electroactive polymers
  • modeling and simulation
  • intelligent, sustainable polymer systems

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 29378 KB  
Article
Warpage of Injection-Moulded Thin Plates: Numerical Evaluation of Simulation Strategies and Experimental Validation
by Tomaž Kastelic, Nikolaj Mole, Gašper Cafuta, Bojan Starman and Miroslav Halilovič
Polymers 2026, 18(11), 1310; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18111310 - 26 May 2026
Viewed by 269
Abstract
This study presents an experimental and numerical investigation of warpage in injection-moulded ABS plates, with emphasis on the influence of modelling assumptions and residual stress development on warpage prediction. Two sets of processing conditions with different mould-temperature balances were investigated experimentally, and warpage [...] Read more.
This study presents an experimental and numerical investigation of warpage in injection-moulded ABS plates, with emphasis on the influence of modelling assumptions and residual stress development on warpage prediction. Two sets of processing conditions with different mould-temperature balances were investigated experimentally, and warpage was measured using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). Filling and packing were simulated using Moldex3D, while warpage was predicted using two integrated Moldex3D solvers and a coupled Moldex3D–Abaqus thermomechanical approach. Although identical thermal input data were used, the three approaches produced noticeably different warpage predictions. The Moldex3D enhanced solver consistently over-predicted warpage magnitude, while the Moldex3D nonlinear solver captured the nonlinear effects but showed unrealistic localised deformation. The thermomechanical approach predicted the warpage shape more accurately for both parameter sets and showed the closest overall agreement with the experimental results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multiscale Design for Polymer Advanced Manufacturing)
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12 pages, 1369 KB  
Article
Fabrication Process and Particle Dispersion Characteristics of W–PETG-Based 3D-Printed Composites for Medical Radiation Shielding
by Seon-Chil Kim
Polymers 2026, 18(2), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18020268 - 19 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 582
Abstract
In this study, a W–polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG)-based 3D-printed composite was designed for medical radiation shielding, and syringe shielding components were fabricated to evaluate shielding performance and particle dispersion characteristics. Up to 70 wt% of tungsten powder was incorporated into the PETG polymer [...] Read more.
In this study, a W–polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG)-based 3D-printed composite was designed for medical radiation shielding, and syringe shielding components were fabricated to evaluate shielding performance and particle dispersion characteristics. Up to 70 wt% of tungsten powder was incorporated into the PETG polymer matrix to produce W–PETG filaments suitable for 3D printing. Using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method, a 3.0 mm-thick radiation shielding cover for a 10 mL syringe was fabricated. Radiation shielding performance was assessed using a 99mTc (200 µCi) source at distances of 30, 50, and 100 cm. While a conventional 1.0 mm Pb shield exhibited shielding efficiencies of 92.24%, 94.26%, and 95.13% at each distance, the 3.0 mm W–PETG shield demonstrated efficiencies of 70.67%, 75.64%, and 77.57%, respectively. Higher temperatures improved shielding efficiency by approximately 5.48 percentage points. When processed above 160 °C, tungsten particle clustering decreased and a more uniform dispersion was achieved, enhancing shielding performance. The interrelationship among filament fabrication parameters, particle dispersion behavior, and shielding performance of W–PETG composites was quantitatively demonstrated. The lightweight, geometric design flexibility, and compatibility with 3D-printing processes of W–PETG composites suggest strong potential as alternative materials for custom medical radiation shielding devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multiscale Design for Polymer Advanced Manufacturing)
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18 pages, 2822 KB  
Article
Temperature/Stress-Dependent Fractional Creep Models of Thermoplastic Polymers
by Leixiao Wu, Wei Cai and Jie Yang
Polymers 2025, 17(14), 1984; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17141984 - 19 Jul 2025
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1601
Abstract
The creep behavior of thermoplastic polymeric materials is highly dependent on loading conditions, which must be accounted for in the intrinsic model. In this paper, fractional creep models have been developed to describe the temperature/stress-dependent creep/creep–recovery and accelerated creep damage behavior, with the [...] Read more.
The creep behavior of thermoplastic polymeric materials is highly dependent on loading conditions, which must be accounted for in the intrinsic model. In this paper, fractional creep models have been developed to describe the temperature/stress-dependent creep/creep–recovery and accelerated creep damage behavior, with the construction of a criterion correlating model parameters with temperature and initial stress. The fractional order in the fractional creep/creep–recovery model can be physically interpreted by the well-known master curve, and the creep rupture time can be predicted by combining the Monkman–Grant law with the fractional creep damage model. Extensive experimental data are employed to substantiate the model’s applicability under different loading conditions. Moreover, a comparative analysis highlights the proposed model’s superior simplicity and performance over existing models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multiscale Design for Polymer Advanced Manufacturing)
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