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Polymers
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Mechanical Behaviors and Properties of Polymer Materials, 2nd Edition
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Mechanical Behaviors and Properties of Polymer Materials, 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 2892

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yunfa Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Aerospace Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Interests: polymers and composites; nanocomposites; finite element analysis; failure analysis; viscoelasticity and viscoplasticity; mechanical testing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The response of polymers to external or internal forces can vary considerably depending on the magnitude of these forces and the material characteristics. While the stress–strain behaviors of some polymers might look similar to those of metals, polymers are mechanically different to metals. Fully understanding the unique mechanical behaviors and properties of polymers is vital not only to their industrial and engineering applications but also to the development of novel materials such as polymeric composites, nanocomposites, and additively manufactured polymer products. In particular, improved/appropriate mechanical behaviors and properties are crucial to the successful development of novel materials in which a polymer is the major constituent, and this has made the study of the mechanical behaviors and properties of polymers an increasingly active area.

This Special Issue aims to promptly publish recent studies focused on the mechanical behaviors and properties of polymer materials. Proposed topics of interest for this Special Issue include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Fiber-reinforced polymeric composites and nanocomposites;
  • Mechanical behaviors under adverse environmental conditions;
  • Multiaxial loading response of polymers;
  • Viscoelastic and viscoplastic characterization and modeling;
  • Impact, fatigue, and damage/failure mechanisms;
  • Influences of processing on mechanical properties;
  • Mechanical behaviors of additively manufactured polymer products.

Dr. Yunfa 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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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

  • mechanical properties
  • fiber composites and nanocomposites
  • damage and failure
  • viscoelasticity and viscoplasticity
  • impact
  • fatigue
  • additive manufacturing

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4910 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Compression Properties of Open-Cell Foams Reinforced with Shear-Thickening Fluids and Shear-Stiffening Polymers
by Jian Li, Yaoguang Zhou, Mohammad Rauf Sheikhi and Selim Gürgen
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1218; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091218 - 29 Apr 2025
Abstract
Open-cell PU foams have a wide range of industrial applications due to their excellent cushioning, impact protection, packaging, thermal insulation, and sound reduction benefits. The foams absorb impact energy while deforming under compressing and are ideal for applications with severe and repeated loading [...] Read more.
Open-cell PU foams have a wide range of industrial applications due to their excellent cushioning, impact protection, packaging, thermal insulation, and sound reduction benefits. The foams absorb impact energy while deforming under compressing and are ideal for applications with severe and repeated loading conditions. Enhancing and improving their compressive durability is a vital area of ongoing research. We investigated the effect of incorporating shear-stiffening polymers (SSPs) and shear-thickening fluids (STFs) on the compression properties of open-cell foams. Rheological properties of STFs and SSPs prepared for incorporation into the foams confirmed the shear-thickening and shear-stiffening characteristics. Quasi-static compression tests performed at different speeds (6, 60, 120, 180, and 240 mm/s), as well as load-unload compression tests (6 and 24 mm/s), showed that the SSP-filled foam exhibited the most pronounced improvement in the elastic, plateau, and densification regions compared to the neat foam. While the STF-filled foam also improved performance over the neat foam, its advantages over the SSP-filled foam were less pronounced. The performance of the SSP-filled foam improved with increasing compression speeds, while the performance of the STF-filled foam remained relatively stable between 60 and 240 mm/s of load-unload tests. Post-test compression evaluations showed that neat and STF-filled foams quickly regained their original shape, while SSP-filled foams required more time before recovery. This research shows that combining SSP and STF smart materials with open-cell foams substantially improves their compressive performance, especially at high compression rates and load-unloading scenarios, increasing their functional life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Behaviors and Properties of Polymer Materials, 2nd Edition)
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19 pages, 5357 KiB  
Article
Predicting Mechanical Responses in Polymer Blends with Unintended Polymer Fractions Using an Efficient Neural Network-Based Constitutive Material Model
by Ninghan Tang, Pei Hao, Juan Miguel Tiscar and Francisco A. Gilabert
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 963; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070963 - 1 Apr 2025
Viewed by 361
Abstract
Current mechanical recycling procedures often fall short of achieving 100% purity in recycled thermoplastics, which typically consist of mixed polymer types. These other polymers, though typically present in small amounts, can significantly affect the mechanical properties of the recycled material. Addressing this issue, [...] Read more.
Current mechanical recycling procedures often fall short of achieving 100% purity in recycled thermoplastics, which typically consist of mixed polymer types. These other polymers, though typically present in small amounts, can significantly affect the mechanical properties of the recycled material. Addressing this issue, this study introduces a neural network (NN) approach combined with a physically-based constitutive model to accurately predict the mechanical behavior of polymer blends of varying compositions. The NN-based method relies on the training of a crucial internal variable controlling the nonlinear response. This variable is derived from the physical model, which minimizes the dependence on extensive experimental data. We evaluated this approach on polymer blends of LLDPE/PET, LLDPE/PA6, and LDPE/PS at various weight fraction ratios. The results demonstrate that the NN-based model effectively aligns with experimental outcomes, enhancing our ability to predict how different blend ratios influence the mechanical properties of polymer blends. This capability is crucial for optimizing the use of recycled polymers in various applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Behaviors and Properties of Polymer Materials, 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 2083 KiB  
Article
Study on Coupling Correlation of Factors Affecting Mechanical Properties of High-Damping Rubber Plate
by Tianbo Peng, Feng Li and Chiyuan Ma
Polymers 2025, 17(5), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17050593 - 23 Feb 2025
Viewed by 563
Abstract
Factors affecting the mechanical properties of the high-damping rubber plate mainly include temperature, shear strain rate, shear strain amplitude, and compressive stress. However, the existing studies focused on one factor and have not conducted detailed research on the coupling relationships between various factors. [...] Read more.
Factors affecting the mechanical properties of the high-damping rubber plate mainly include temperature, shear strain rate, shear strain amplitude, and compressive stress. However, the existing studies focused on one factor and have not conducted detailed research on the coupling relationships between various factors. The influence on the mechanical properties of the high-damping rubber plate of one factor will change with the change in other factors. To study the coupling correlation, a series of horizontal cyclic loading tests were designed and carried out. Due to the simultaneous hyperelastic and viscoelastic properties of high-damping rubber, the hysteresis curve of the high-damping rubber plate is decomposed into a hyperelastic part and a damping part. Equations of the two parts are deduced by a theoretical method, and all the coefficients of the two parts are obtained by fitting the test results. Then, the variation coefficient is used to study the influence degree of each factor on these coefficients. Finally, the correlation variation coefficient is defined as the variation coefficient of variation coefficients and is used to quantify the coupling correlation between the factors. This study is of great significance in exploring the coupling correlation between the factors affecting the mechanical properties of the high-damping rubber plate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Behaviors and Properties of Polymer Materials, 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 4049 KiB  
Article
Compression Response of Silicone-Based Composites with Integrated Multifunctional Fillers
by Ingyu Bak, Jihyeon Kim, Andrew Jacob Ruba, David John Ross and Kwan-Soo Lee
Polymers 2025, 17(4), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17040500 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 622
Abstract
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is known for its exceptional mechanical properties, chemical stability, and flexibility. Recent advancements have focused on developing functional PDMS composites by integrating various functional fillers, including polymers, ceramics, and metals, for advanced applications such as electronics, medical devices, and aerospace. Consequently, [...] Read more.
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is known for its exceptional mechanical properties, chemical stability, and flexibility. Recent advancements have focused on developing functional PDMS composites by integrating various functional fillers, including polymers, ceramics, and metals, for advanced applications such as electronics, medical devices, and aerospace. Consequently, there is a growing need to investigate PDMS composites to achieve higher filler loadings offering enhanced mechanical performance. This study addresses this need by utilizing the high molecular weight (MW) PDMS resin we have developed, offering its high elongation capacity of up to >6500%. We incorporated boron (B), hollow glass microballoons (HGMs), and tungsten-coated hollow glass microballoons (WHGMs) into the developed high MW PDMS. The resulting composites demonstrated excellent elastic properties and significant compression resilience (35–80%) and elastic modulus (1.28–10.15 MPa) at high filler loadings (~60 vol.%). Specifically, B/PDMS composites achieved up to 67.6 vol.% of B, HGM/PDMS composites held up to 68.6 vol.% of HGM, and WHGM/PDMS composites incorporated up to 54.0 vol.% of WHGM. These findings highlight the potential of high MW PDMS for developing high-performance PDMS composites suitable for advanced applications such as aerospace, automotive, and medical devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Behaviors and Properties of Polymer Materials, 2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 3732 KiB  
Article
Effect of Ultraviolet Aging on Properties of Epoxy Resin and Its Pultruded Fiber-Reinforced Composite
by Shengzong Ci, Baoming Wang, Chengrui Di, Mingyu Wang, Bo Zhu and Kun Qiao
Polymers 2025, 17(3), 294; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17030294 - 23 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1130
Abstract
Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) often undergo aging as a result of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which significantly impacts their performance and durability. This paper investigated the alterations in the microstructure and macroscopic properties of epoxy resin and its composite used in overhead wires during [...] Read more.
Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) often undergo aging as a result of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which significantly impacts their performance and durability. This paper investigated the alterations in the microstructure and macroscopic properties of epoxy resin and its composite used in overhead wires during UV aging. Furthermore, the mechanism of UV aging for both resin and composite was revealed. The results showed that UV aging predominantly affected the properties of the surface layer resin. UV aging can induce molecular chain scission, which leads to resin weight change, color deepening, microcrack formation, a decline in mechanical properties, and other performance degradation behaviors under the combined action of many factors. With the increase in aging time, the weight change rate and hardness of the resin increased first and then decreased, while the mechanical properties of the composite decreased rapidly first and gradually tended to be constant. The bending strength and impact strength of the composite decreased by 6.0% and 12.8%, respectively, compared with the initial values. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively understand the UV aging behaviors of epoxy resins and their composites employed in overhead wires, and it also provides essential data for advancing the utilization and durability of epoxy resins and composites across aerospace, marine, and other outdoor applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Behaviors and Properties of Polymer Materials, 2nd Edition)
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