Advances in Thermoplastic Polymer Composites

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the demand for lightweight, high-performance, and sustainable materials has driven rapid advancements in polymer composites. Among these, thermoplastic composites have gained immense attention due to their unique advantages, including excellent fracture toughness, rapid processing capabilities, weldability, and, most importantly, inherent recyclability. These characteristics make them highly desirable for modern and emerging applications, including aerospace, the automotive sector, pipelines, hydrogen storage vessels, and robotics.

This Special Issue, titled “Advances in Thermoplastic Polymer Composites”, is dedicated to exploring the latest scientific discoveries and technological innovations in this rapidly evolving field. We aim to cover all aspects of thermoplastic composites, from matrix design and interfacial properties with fibers to the advanced manufacturing of thermoplastic composites and end-of-life recycling strategies.

We invite researchers to contribute original research articles, comprehensive review papers, and short communications. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Design, processing, and characterization of thermoplastic composites;
• Manufacturing of thermoplastic composites (e.g., 3D/4D printing, automated fiber placement, automated tape laying, and thermoforming);
• Interfacial properties with fibers, surface modification, and filler–matrix interactions;
• New applications of thermoplastic composites (e.g., pipelines, aerospace, robotics, and composite pressure vessels);
• Continuous and short fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites;
• Thermoplastic polymer blends and hybrid systems;
• Recycling, upcycling, and life-cycle assessment of thermoplastic composites;
• Functional thermoplastic composites (e.g., gas barrier, thermally/electrically conductive, electromagnetic shielding, and flame retardant);
• Damage mechanics, fracture behaviors, fatigue, and structural health monitoring.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions and creating a highly impactful and comprehensive collection on recent advances in thermoplastic polymer composites.

Dr. Jiaqiao Zhang
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.