Fracture Mechanics of Soft Polymer Composites and Polymeric Advanced Materials
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Analysis and Characterization".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 2266
Special Issue Editors
Interests: computational modeling; biomechanics; fracture mechanics; fracture of polymers and biological tissues
Interests: computational physics-based modeling; smart materials; functional polymers; programmable response; morphing; bioinspired programmable matter; mechanical behavior of 3D printed polymers
Interests: mechanics of solids; fracture; fatigue; damage; contact mechanics; buckling of structures; nonlinear mechanical models
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Soft polymer composites and, more generally, polymeric advanced materials are widespread in engineered materials and as the basic building blocks of many biological tissues. Despite the differences, their structured molecular networks share common fundamental mechanical principles. Entropy controls the behavior of classical polymeric networks, wherein stored mechanical energy is mainly determined by the network configuration. On the other hand, significant enthalpic contributions and bending-related deformation are relevant in biopolymers.
The unique behavior in the presence of fracture is among the most remarkable features of the mechanics of soft polymer composites. The reorientation of polymeric chains along the direction of applied deformation enables soft polymers to withstand severe deformations, without being damaged or ruptured. Similarly, stress concentration around cracks is mitigated by the rearrangement of polymeric chains, which can result in an exceptional flaw tolerance. Furthermore, energy dissipation and stress relaxation are inherent to the mechanics of polymers and can be harnessed to control the fracture behavior of engineered polymeric composites and advanced materials.
These features have sparked the interest of material scientists in the fracture mechanics of soft polymer composites, and polymeric advanced materials (e.g. smart polymers, hydrogels, etc.), which is the topic of this Special Issue of Polymers. Cutting-edge applications concern the development of bioinspired materials, smart polymers, the design of tough hydrogels and polymeric composites with improved fatigue properties, and the optimization of 3D printing technologies. This is a field where experiments, fundamental principles of chemistry and physics, and computer simulations must go hand in hand. Contributions that focus on innovative applications, as well as experimental and computational approaches bridging different spatial and temporal scales, are encouraged.
Dr. Michele Terzano
Dr. Mattia Pancrazio Cosma
Prof. Dr. Andrea Spagnoli
Dr. Dan Ioan Stoia
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- polymers composites
- advanced materials
- bioinspired materials
- biological tissues
- molecular models
- computational mechanics
- fracture mechanics
- fatigue
- damage
- viscoelasticity
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