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Advanced Polymer Composites with High Mechanical Properties

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1917

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Bertan Beylergil

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Guest Editor

1. Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Alanya 07450, Turkiye
2. Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Tuzla, Istanbul 34956, Turkiye
3. Sabanci University Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Research and Application Center & Composite Technologies Center of Excellence, Manufacturing Technologies, Istanbul 34906, Turkiye
Interests: composite materials; polymer composites; fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP); hybrid composites; solid mechanics; adhesive bonding & fracture mechanics; interlaminar fracture toughness (Mode-I & Mode-II); additive manufacturing; thermoplastic composites; epoxy matrix modification

Dr. Hasan Ulus

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Huğlu Vocational School, Selçuk University, Konya 42700, Turkey
Interests: fiber reinforced polymers; nanocomposites; fracture mechanics; adhesive bonded joints; structural health monitoring; recycling of composites; dynamic mechanical analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The demand for lightweight, durable, and high-strength materials is steadily rising across aerospace, automotive, marine, defense, and energy sectors. Among the most promising solutions, advanced polymer composites stand out due to their exceptional mechanical performance, design flexibility, and multifunctionality. This Special Issue, “Advanced Polymer Composites with High Mechanical Properties”, aims to present the latest research progress in the development, characterization, and application of polymer-based composites with enhanced structural capabilities.

We welcome contributions on a wide range of topics, including (but not limited) to fiber-reinforced thermoset and thermoplastic systems, hybrid and multi-scale composites, and nanofiller-modified polymers. Studies focusing on interface engineering, fracture and fatigue resistance, impact performance, wear and durability, and structural behavior under harsh service conditions are of particular interest. We also seek experimental and modeling approaches that provide deeper insight into property–structure relationships.

This Special Issue seeks to create a platform for researchers and engineers to exchange ideas and share innovative approaches that advance the science and technology of polymer composites. By bridging academic research and industrial practice, it aims to accelerate the development of next-generation materials with superior mechanical properties.

Dr. Bertan Beylergil
Dr. Hasan Ulus
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-blind 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

advanced polymer composites
high mechanical properties
fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP)
thermoplastic and thermoset composites
hybrid composites
nanofiller reinforcement
fracture toughness and fatigue resistance
impact and wear performance
interface engineering
multifunctional materials

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1510 KB

Open AccessArticle

Data-Driven Multi-Objective Optimization of Drilling Performance in Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Nanocomposites

by Hediye Kirli Akin

Polymers 2026, 18(8), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18080986 - 18 Apr 2026

Viewed by 366

Abstract

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are widely used in many engineering applications such as aerospace, automotive, and defense industries due to their superior properties such as high specific strength, stiffness, and corrosion resistance. However, these materials require drilling, especially during assembly processes. Damage mechanisms arising during this process, such as delamination, high thrust force, and torque, negatively affect structural integrity and production quality. This study proposes a data-driven, multi-objective optimization approach to solve problems encountered during drilling in multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-reinforced CFRP nanocomposites. The study considers the MWCNT reinforcement ratio, cutting speed, and feed rate as process parameters and examines their effects on thrust force, torque, and delamination factor. Second-degree polynomial regression-based prediction models were created using the experimental data obtained, and these models were included in the multi-objective optimization process. During the optimization phase, thrust force and torque values were simultaneously minimized, while the delamination factor was kept below the statistically determined constraint of F_d ≤ 1.054. Pareto-optimal solution sets were obtained using NSGA-II and MOPSO meta-heuristic algorithms in the solution process. The results indicate that suitable combinations of drilling parameters can be identified through Pareto-based optimization, allowing significant reductions in thrust force and torque while maintaining the delamination factor below the specified limit. The study presents a reliable optimization approach for the more efficient machining of CFRP nanocomposites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Composites with High Mechanical Properties)

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22 pages, 2681 KB

Open AccessArticle

Fracture and Fatigue Assessment of Bonded Composite Patch Repairs in Notched and Cracked Plates

by Bertan Beylergil, Hasan Ulus, Mehmet Emin Çetin, Halil Burak Kaybal, Sefa Yildirim, Abdulrahman Al-Nadhari and Mehmet Yildiz

Polymers 2026, 18(8), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18080912 - 8 Apr 2026

Viewed by 580

Abstract

This study presents a unified mechanics-based framework for evaluating bonded composite patch repairs. Discrete fracture, fatigue, and adhesive responses are transformed into continuous master equations over the design space. Low-order polynomial surfaces model stress intensity and concentration responses, enabling continuous prediction of repair performance without repeated finite-element analyses. A fracture-based repair efficiency index is derived from the analytical master surface. This index quantifies the average reduction in crack-driving force across the domain. Combined with adhesive stiffness and strength, it defines an adhesive-based repair efficiency index (A-REI), providing a direct link between structural response and material properties. The results show that repair effectiveness is strongly influenced by both geometric severity and adhesive properties. Fatigue performance decreases significantly with increasing notch ratio in single-sided repairs. Double-sided configurations maintain consistently higher efficiency. Symmetric reinforcement more effectively reduces stress concentration, with improvements exceeding 40% at intermediate notch ratios. Adhesive selection is governed by stiffness and strength. Structural adhesives achieve significantly higher A-REI values, whereas compliant adhesives contribute negligibly. Overall, repair symmetry controls the magnitude of improvement, while adhesive properties determine performance ranking. This framework provides a clear, practical basis for design and material selection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Composites with High Mechanical Properties)

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24 pages, 14994 KB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analyses of Drilling Force, Temperature, and Damage in Natural and Glass Fiber-Reinforced Al–Epoxy Composites

by Muammer Kına, Uğur Köklü, Sezer Morkavuk, Mustafa Ay, Yalçın Boztoprak, Barkın Bakır and Murat Demiral

Polymers 2026, 18(2), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18020229 - 15 Jan 2026

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 587

Abstract

This study examined the drilling performance of five polymer composite systems: three natural fiber (jute, flax, hemp) composites with aluminum particle-reinforced epoxy, one glass fiber-reinforced composite with the same matrix, and an unreinforced aluminum particle-filled epoxy (Al–epoxy). Drilling experiments were performed at spindle speeds of 1500 and 3000 rpm with feed rates of 50, 75, and 100 mm/min in order to evaluate the effect of cutting parameters on the drilling performance. Cutting zone temperatures were measured using thermocouples embedded within the drill bit’s cooling channels, while thrust forces were recorded with a dynamometer. Additionally, hole exit damage and inner hole surface roughness were evaluated to assess machining quality. The results showed that increasing spindle speed reduces thrust forces due to thermal softening of the matrix, whereas natural fiber-reinforced composites generally exhibit higher thrust forces and slightly rougher inner hole surfaces compared to synthetic counterparts. During drilling, the measured thrust forces ranged from 320 to 693 N for the glass fiber-reinforced specimen and from 335 to 702 N for the Al–epoxy specimen, while for natural fiber-reinforced composites the thrust force values were 352–679 N for hemp, 241–719 N for jute, and 571–732 N for flax specimens. Synthetic specimens (glass fiber and Al–epoxy) exhibited comparable cutting temperature ranges (288–371 °C and 248–327 °C, respectively), whereas natural fiber-reinforced composites showed higher and broader temperature ranges of 311–389 °C for hemp, 368–374 °C for jute, and 307–379 °C for flax specimens. The overall results indicated that lower forces were generated during the drilling of synthetic glass fiber-reinforced composites, while among natural fiber-reinforced plastics, flax fiber-reinforced composites stood out by exhibiting a balanced machining response. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Composites with High Mechanical Properties)

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