Advances in Mechanical and Thermal Characterization and Optimization of Polymer Composites

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer composites have emerged as indispensable materials in aerospace, automotive, energy, biomedical and civil engineering applications due to their lightweight nature, tailorable properties and enhanced mechanical and thermal performance. As the demand for high-performance and multifunctional materials grows, there is a pressing need for advanced characterization techniques and optimization strategies to better understand and improve the mechanical and thermal behaviour of polymer composite systems.

This Special Issue aims to present recent advances in the experimental, numerical and theoretical characterization of polymer composites, with particular emphasis on mechanical properties (such as strength, stiffness, fatigue, fracture and impact behaviour) and thermal performance (including conductivity, thermal stability, degradation and thermo-mechanical coupling). Contributions addressing multiscale and multifunctional characterization, in situ and non-destructive testing methods and advanced microscopy and thermal analysis techniques are especially encouraged.

In addition, this Special Issue highlights optimization approaches for composite design and performance enhancement, including topology optimization, material and process optimization and data-driven techniques such as machine learning and artificial intelligence. Studies on novel polymer matrices, reinforcements, hybrid and nanocomposites, sustainable and recyclable composites and additive manufacturing–based composites are within scope.

By bringing together cutting-edge research on characterization and optimization, this Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive platform for researchers and practitioners to exchange knowledge, address current challenges and accelerate the development of next-generation polymer composite materials.

Dr. SD Jacob Muthu
Guest Editor

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.