Advanced Fillers for Polymer Composite Materials: From Molecular to Multiscale Design

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on recent advances in the design, synthesis, characterization, and application of diverse filler systems for polymer and hybrid composites. Particular emphasis is placed on the emerging concept of molecular filling, where discrete molecules, oligomers, or precisely defined nanoscale objects serve as functional fillers, enabling unprecedented control over interfacial interactions, mechanical reinforcement, and functional properties. Contributions addressing traditional inorganic fillers (silica, carbonaceous materials, layered silicates), novel organic–inorganic hybrid fillers, and hierarchically structured systems are also welcome. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Molecular fillers: polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS), macrocycles, dendrimers, and molecular cages, brushes, or networks.

- Hybrid organo–inorganic fillers prepared via sol–gel, in situ polymerization, or surface modification.

- Structure–property relationships at filler/matrix interfaces.

- Multiscale modeling and experimental characterization of filler dispersion and composite performance.

- Functional composites for mechanical, thermal, electrical, or barrier applications.

The aim is to showcase cutting-edge strategies for tailoring composite properties through rational filler design across length scales.

Dr. Ivan B. Meshkov
Dr. Valentina Siracusa
Prof. Dr. Alexey L. Iordanskii
Guest Editors

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.