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Processing, Characterization and Engineering Application of Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Polymer Composites—2nd...
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Processing, Characterization and Engineering Application of Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Polymer Composites—2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2026) | Viewed by 2329

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ankit Gupta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering and Technology, California State University, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Interests: polymer matrix composite materials; material processing; material characterization; additive manufacturing; finite element modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A strong understanding of different materials and their manufacturing processes is essential in today’s ever-expanding world. Producing materials with unique features that can aid in manufacturing is vital for succeeding in the industrial world. Advancements in technologies have provided a wide range of materials that have replaced most of the basic materials once used for wide-scale production. The wide-scale production of composite materials has enabled the field of unconventional machining processes to significantly contribute to the manufacturing industry. Such unique features have created innumerable opportunities for people to implement innovative ideas in this field with enthusiasm. Fiber-reinforced composite materials open up the possibility of enhancing polymers' mechanical and thermal properties. This provides the opportunity to explore its potential in various applications, including automotive, biomedical, aerospace, sports and other small- and large-scale applications.

We are pleased to invite your very valuable contributions. This Special Issue aims to create a collection of at least 10 articles on the topic of the preparation, properties and engineering application of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites in the open access journal Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360).

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: polymer-based fiber-reinforced composite materials; the processing and characterization of polymer composite materials; additively manufactured composite materials; and the mechanical and thermal property analysis of polymer composite materials.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ankit Gupta
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-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

  • composite materials
  • material processing
  • material characterization
  • additive manufacturing
  • finite element modeling
  • high-temperature polymers
  • mechanical and thermal property testing
  • solid and computational modelling

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 13942 KB  
Article
Comparative Experimental Study of Eco-Composite Reinforced Concrete Beams Under Flexural Loading: Sustainability Factors vs. Mechanical Performance
by Youssef Bounjoum, Oumayma Hamlaoui, Youssef Bibridne, Hakan Tozan, Irem Duzdar, Naoufal Bouktib, Noureddine Choab and Mohammed Ait El Fqih
Polymers 2026, 18(7), 847; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18070847 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 337
Abstract
This study is an experimental study on flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beam where three types of epoxy-bonded jacketing systems are used (glass fiber-reinforced composite (GFRC, S1), jute fiber-reinforced composite (JFRC, S2), and hybrid fiber-reinforced composite (HFRC, S3)) and an unjacketed control beam [...] Read more.
This study is an experimental study on flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beam where three types of epoxy-bonded jacketing systems are used (glass fiber-reinforced composite (GFRC, S1), jute fiber-reinforced composite (JFRC, S2), and hybrid fiber-reinforced composite (HFRC, S3)) and an unjacketed control beam (S0). All the specimens were subjected to displacement-controlled three-point bending to measure the enhancement of strength, stiffness, and energy absorption using mass-normalized (TPM) and synthetic-content-normalized (TSM) performance indices. Jacketing compared to control also raised the maximum load from 11.80 N to 17.10 N for GFRC (+44.9%), to 14.64 N for JFRC (+24.1%), and to 14.89 N of HFRC (+26.2%). The energy taken up rose from 38.44 J (S0), 152.50 J (S1, +297%), 95.32 J (S2, +148%), and 132.79 J (S3, +245%). Flexural strength was also increased to 56.26 MPa (S1), 43.54 MPa (S2), and 51.38 MPa (S3) and yield strength was raised from 10.43 MPa (S0) to 26.40 MPa (S1), 16.84 Mpa (S2), and 23.05 Mpa (S3). The increase of flexural modulus between S0 (4871.33 MPa) and S1 (12,322.34 MPa), S2 (7862.61 MPa), and S3 (10,759.57 MPa) showed the enhancement of the stiffness. Mass-normalized performance showed great overall efficiency in the case of GFRC and HFRC, with TPM = 3.70 and 3.60 J/kg, respectively, and synthetic-content efficiency was higher in the case of JFRC, with TSM = 9.66 J/kg, which is the advantage of low-synthetic reinforcement in energy-based performance. In general, the suggested jacketing systems have a great influence on flexural responsiveness and power absorption, whereby GFRC and JFRC offer maximum capacity and stiffness, respectively, and the greatest efficiency per unit synthetic material, respectively. In terms of novelty, the paper is one of the first to measure the sustainability-based performance of an epoxy-bonded GFRC, HFRC, and bio-based JFRC jacketing, comparing the results in terms of synthetic-content efficiency (TSM) and mass-normalized indices, which reflect the energy absorption benefits per unit of synthetic material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processing, Characterization and Engineering Application of Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Polymer Composites—2nd Edition)
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23 pages, 3587 KB  
Article
The Effects of Coupling Factors on the Variable Loading Resistance of Plain-Woven Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fabric Composites
by Ziyan Zhou, Feilong Han, Bin Dong and Wen Zhai
Polymers 2026, 18(7), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18070839 - 30 Mar 2026
Viewed by 307
Abstract
Resin and interlayer properties play significant roles in the resistance to impact of fibre-reinforced polymer composites (FRPCs). To investigate the contribution of each factor within the coupled variables to the impact resistance ability of FRPCs, in this work, waterborne polyurethane (WPU) with different [...] Read more.
Resin and interlayer properties play significant roles in the resistance to impact of fibre-reinforced polymer composites (FRPCs). To investigate the contribution of each factor within the coupled variables to the impact resistance ability of FRPCs, in this work, waterborne polyurethane (WPU) with different tensile elastic modulus, tear strength and bonding strength was obtained. To systematically evaluate the impact resistance and failure mechanisms of the composite materials under varying external loads, impact resistance tests, numerical simulations, and relative weight analysis were conducted. The relative weight analysis results quantified the individual contributions of these three factors to the overall energy absorption capacity across diverse loading conditions. The results indicated that with the increasing rate of the external loading, the resin modulus consistently contributed more significantly to energy absorption than tear strength of resin and interlayer strength, reaching up to 44.3%. In ballistic penetration tests, with the increase in resin modulus, the ballistic performance of PE/WPU laminates demonstrated an S-shaped downward trend. Composites prepared with more rigid matrix could lead to unsatisfactory interlayer damage. A more robust structure could result in fibre pull-out and breakage to a greater extent at the point of forced impact while less in the secondary affected area, presenting comparatively lower impact resistant performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processing, Characterization and Engineering Application of Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Polymer Composites—2nd Edition)
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27 pages, 13307 KB  
Article
Synergistic Reinforcement and Multimodal Self-Sensing Properties of Hybrid Fiber-Reinforced Glass Sand ECC at Elevated Temperatures
by Lijun Ma, Meng Sun, Mingxuan Sun, Yunlong Zhang and Mo Liu
Polymers 2026, 18(3), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18030322 - 25 Jan 2026
Viewed by 412
Abstract
To address the susceptibility of traditional concrete to explosive spalling and the lack of in situ damage-monitoring methods at high temperatures, in this study, a novel self-sensing, high-temperature-resistant Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) was developed. The matrix contains eco-friendly glass sand reinforced with a [...] Read more.
To address the susceptibility of traditional concrete to explosive spalling and the lack of in situ damage-monitoring methods at high temperatures, in this study, a novel self-sensing, high-temperature-resistant Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) was developed. The matrix contains eco-friendly glass sand reinforced with a hybrid system of polypropylene fibers (PPFs) and carbon fibers (CFs). The evolution of mechanical properties and the multimodal self-sensing characteristics of the ECC were systematically investigated following thermal treatment from 20 °C to 800 °C. The results indicate that the hybrid system exhibits a significant synergistic effect: through PFFs’ pore-forming mechanism, internal vapor pressure is effectively released to mitigate spalling, while CFs provide residual strength compensation. Mechanically, the compressive strength increased by 51.32% (0.9% CF + 1.0% PPF) at 400 °C compared to ambient temperature, attributed to high-temperature-activated secondary hydration. Regarding self-sensing, the composite containing 1.1% CF and 1.5% PPF displayed superior thermosensitivity during heating (resistivity reduction of 49.1%), indicating potential for early fire warnings. Notably, pressure sensitivity was enhanced after high-temperature exposure, with the 0.7% CF + 0.5% PPF group achieving a Fractional Change in Resistivity of 31.1% at 600 °C. Conversely, flexural sensitivity presented a “thermally induced attenuation effect” primarily attributed to high-temperature-induced interfacial weakening. This study confirms that the “pore-formation” mechanism, combined with the reconstruction of the conductive network, governs the material’s macroscopic properties, providing a theoretical basis for green, intelligent, and fire-safe infrastructure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processing, Characterization and Engineering Application of Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Polymer Composites—2nd Edition)
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13 pages, 5577 KB  
Article
Effect of ZnCl2 Treatment Parameters on the Thermo-Hydrolysis of Recycled MDF for Epoxy Composites
by Çağrı Olgun and Koray Çufa
Polymers 2025, 17(18), 2493; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17182493 - 15 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 874
Abstract
The aim of this study is to determine the hydrothermal recycling of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) wastes using zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as an acidic catalyst to obtain reinforcing fibers for epoxy-based composites. For this purpose, during the hydrothermal recycling process (110 °C, [...] Read more.
The aim of this study is to determine the hydrothermal recycling of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) wastes using zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as an acidic catalyst to obtain reinforcing fibers for epoxy-based composites. For this purpose, during the hydrothermal recycling process (110 °C, 0.4 bar), zinc chloride solutions with different concentrations (0% to 30%) were applied at different time intervals (20 to 60 min). The recycled fibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), carbon (C) (%), hydrogen (H) (%), and nitrogen (N) (%) contents, and fiber classification. The fibers were added as a filler (1% w/w) to epoxy composites. The compression strength and of the epoxy composites as assessed and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) characterization was performed. According to the results, nitrogen content decreased with increasing ZnCl2 concentration. Furthermore, the fine fibers ratios increased with increasing treatment time. The results suggest that recycled fibers can be used as a filler in epoxy composites; however, a long treatment time adversely affects the compression strength of epoxy composites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Processing, Characterization and Engineering Application of Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic Polymer Composites—2nd Edition)
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