Shape Memory Polymer Materials, 2nd Edition
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Smart and Functional Polymers".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 792
Editors
Interests: shape memory polymer composites; 4D printing; smart structures; covalent organic frameworks; COMSOL simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: shape memory polymers; self-healing polymers; multifunctional supramolecular polymers; environment adaptability of polymers materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: shape memory polymer composite; deployable structure; metamaterials; solid mechanics; finite element modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The integrated design of materials, structure, and function has gained significant attention globally. Shape memory polymers and 4D printing offer a powerful means to achieve this convergence, enabling applications in self‑adaptive devices, reversible shape‑changing components, and intelligent structures.
Driven by rising demand for smart additive manufacturing, 4D printing of shape memory materials has been widely studied in recent years. Progress in finite element modeling and COMSOL simulations further supports the design process, helping to optimize and simplify such systems. Examples encompass shape memory large‑deformation structures, such as hinges, antennas, stents, and other reconfigurable elements, which possess potential applications in aerospace, biomedicine, robotics, and flexible electronics. Beyond these, shape memory polymer composites and metamaterials create new opportunities for multifunctional smart structures in emerging domains like marine resource utilization, energy systems, and photo catalysis.
For this Special Issue, we welcome submissions on recent advances in shape memory polymer research. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, the following: shape memory polymers and composites; multifunctional systems exhibiting self‑healing, self‑sensing, or other advanced behaviors; 4D‑printed smart structures and devices; and finite element simulations of self‑adaptive and reversible shape‑changing systems. Both original research articles and review papers are encouraged.
Dr. Wenxin Wang
Dr. Fang Xie
Dr. Fengfeng Li
Prof. Dr. Shaojun Chen
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
- shape memory polymers
- 4D printing
- smart structures
- self-adaptive devices
- finite element modelling
- COMSOL simulation
- macromolecules
- self-healing polymers
- metamaterials
- solid mechanics
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Related Special Issue
- Shape Memory Polymer Materials in Polymers (6 articles)



