Innovative Polymer-Associated Self-Healing Materials: From Design to Applications
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Smart and Functional Polymers".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 697
Editor
Interests: self-healing cementitious materials; durability of reinforced concrete structures; analysis of heterogeneous materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Self-healing materials based on smart polymers represent a rapidly advancing frontier in materials science, offering the ability to autonomously repair damage and extend the lifespan of structural and functional systems. This Special Issue, ‘Innovative Polymer-Associated Self-Healing Materials: From Design to Applications’, highlights recent breakthroughs in the molecular design, synthesis, and application of polymeric materials capable of mimicking biological healing processes. Contributions explore diverse mechanisms such as reversible covalent bonds, supramolecular interactions, microcapsule-based healing, and vascular networks integrated within polymer matrices. Emphasis is placed on stimuli-responsive behavior—triggered by heat, light, moisture, or mechanical stress—that enables on-demand repair in coatings, composites, electronics, and biomedical devices. The Issue also addresses challenges in characterizing healing efficiency, scalability, and long-term performance under real-world conditions. By bridging fundamental chemistry with practical engineering needs, this collection showcases how functional, self-healing, smart polymers are paving the way for sustainable, durable, and adaptive technologies across aerospace, healthcare, soft robotics, and infrastructure sectors.
Prof. Dr. Xianfeng Wang
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- smart polymers
- functional materials
- self-healing
- stimuli-responsive
- polymer design
- adaptive materials
- shape-memory
- biohybrid systems
- responsive hydrogels
- smart coatings
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