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Polymers
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Mechanical and Structural Properties of Polymer Materials
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Mechanical and Structural Properties of Polymer Materials

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2025) | Viewed by 4542

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Frédéric Addiego

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), Materials Research and Technology (MRT) Department, 5 Rue Bommel, ZAE Robert Steichen, L-4940 Hautcharage, Luxembourg
Interests: polymer physics; mechanical behavior; damage; orientation; processing; nanocomposite; SAXS; WAXS; tomography; structure; microscopy; interface
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Kui Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Traffic & Transportation Engineering, Key Laboratory of Traffic Safety on Track, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
Interests: 3D printing; fibre-reinforced polymer composites; formulation; thermo environment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The mechanical performance of polymer-based materials is often related to structural features that do not allow materials to efficiently accommodate the macroscopic strain to which they are exposed. In the case of neat polymers, these features are linked to their molecular structure and microstructure (molecular weight, branching, orientation, chain rigidity, entanglements, crosslinking, crystallinity, crystalline lamella thickness, etc.). Concerning polymer-based composites, the interfacial region between the reinforcing agent (nanofiller, short fibre, continuous fibre, etc.) drastically influences the mechanical properties. The lack of deformability or stress transfer relating to these structural features is at the origin of damage phenomena accommodating the macroscopic strain, which results in the extreme case of material failure. Knowledge of the relationships between the structure at different scales and the mechanical properties of polymer-based materials is of fundamental interest to improve material synthesis, formulation, (re)processing, and/or design. Extending the mechanical durability of polymer-based materials is beneficial for a sustainable future.

This Special Issue focuses on these relationships, especially but not exclusively in the case of emerging polymer-based materials such as bioplastics/biocomposites, vitrimers, self-healing polymer-based materials, 3D printed materials, and hybrid systems. The influence of ageing on the structure–mechanical property relationships is also of high interest for this issue.

Dr. Frédéric Addiego
Prof. Dr. Kui Wang
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 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

  • microstructure
  • molecular structure
  • composites
  • interface
  • characterisation
  • mechanical properties
  • damage
  • ageing

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 6214 KiB  
Article
Crashworthy Performance of Sustainable Filled Structures Using Recycled Beverage Cans and Eco-Friendly Multi-Cell Fillers
by Huijing Gao, Jiangyang Xiang, Junyu Lu, Qianbing Tan, Frédéric Addiego, Yong Peng and Kui Wang
Polymers 2025, 17(3), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17030315 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 702
Abstract
The recycling of resources is an important measure to achieve circular economy and sustainable development. In this paper, a sustainable filled structure was proposed and realized by combining recycled empty beverage cans with eco-friendly multi-cell fillers. Quasi-static axial compressions were carried out to [...] Read more.
The recycling of resources is an important measure to achieve circular economy and sustainable development. In this paper, a sustainable filled structure was proposed and realized by combining recycled empty beverage cans with eco-friendly multi-cell fillers. Quasi-static axial compressions were carried out to characterize the energy absorption performance and synergistic effect of the filled tubes. Experimental results showed that the crashworthiness of sustainable filled structures varied with both filling densities and materials. With the increase in filling density, the specific energy absorption of the filled tubes presented an upward trend. With the variation in filling materials, the filled tubes exhibited different crashworthiness performances. The PLA multi-cell filled tube could withstand larger external force and exhibited higher SEA values, with a maximum value of 9.64 J/g. The PLAS multi-cell filled tube showed excellent loading stability and lower ULC value, with a minimum value of 10%. These findings provided valuable insights for designing novel sustainable energy absorption structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical and Structural Properties of Polymer Materials)
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30 pages, 50441 KiB  
Article
Cavitation and Other Deformation Instabilities in Plastic Deformation of Semicrystalline Polyethylene Modified with Paraffin Wax
by Alina Vozniak and Zbigniew Bartczak
Polymers 2025, 17(2), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17020202 - 15 Jan 2025
Viewed by 858
Abstract
The deformation behavior and instabilities occurring during the drawing of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were investigated using wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in plain HDPE and paraffin wax- and/or chloroform-modified samples. In contrast to neat HDPE, [...] Read more.
The deformation behavior and instabilities occurring during the drawing of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were investigated using wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS and SAXS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in plain HDPE and paraffin wax- and/or chloroform-modified samples. In contrast to neat HDPE, the modified materials demonstrated strongly suppressed cavitation. However, regardless of cavitation, the tensile deformation of all samples was found to be governed by crystallographic mechanisms active in the crystalline lamellae, supported by shear in the amorphous layers, i.e., the same mechanisms as those operating in other deformation modes. In addition to cavitation, which seems to be a tension-specific phenomenon that does not have a major effect on the deformation sequence, two other important deformation instabilities were observed: microbuckling followed by development of lamellar kinks, at true strain of e = 0.3–0.4, and slip localization instability leading to lamellar fragmentation at e > 0.6. These instabilities were found to be common and very important steps in the deformation sequence, greatly influencing the deformation behavior and occurring in similar strain ranges in both compression and tension, regardless of cavitation. In contrast, cavitation is not able to substitute or significantly modify the main deformation mechanisms, and, furthermore, it does not compete with the main instabilities associated with crystalline lamellae, especially microbuckling; therefore, it may be considered a tension-specific side effect that is not essential for plastic deformation behavior, although it can still significantly affect the final properties and appearance of the drawn material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical and Structural Properties of Polymer Materials)
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34 pages, 9283 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Impact of Cooling Lubricants on the Tensile Properties of FDM 3D Printed PLA and PLA+CF Materials
by Elvis Hozdić and Redžo Hasanagić
Polymers 2024, 16(15), 2228; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16152228 - 5 Aug 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2288
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of infill density on the mechanical properties of fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) and PLA reinforced with carbon fiber (PLA+CF) specimens, which hold industrial significance due to their applications in industries where mechanical robustness and [...] Read more.
This study investigates the impact of infill density on the mechanical properties of fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) and PLA reinforced with carbon fiber (PLA+CF) specimens, which hold industrial significance due to their applications in industries where mechanical robustness and durability are critical. Exposure to cooling lubricants is particularly relevant for environments where these materials are frequently subjected to cooling fluids, such as manufacturing plants and machine shops. This research aims to explore insights into the mechanical robustness and durability of these materials under realistic operating conditions, including prolonged exposure to cooling lubricants. Tensile tests were performed on PLA and PLA+CF specimens printed with varying infill densities (40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%). The specimens underwent tensile testing before and after exposure to cooling lubricants for 7 and 30 days, respectively. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, maximum force, strain, and Young’s modulus were measured to evaluate the effects of infill density and lubricant exposure. Higher infill densities significantly increased tensile strength and maximum force for both PLA and PLA+CF specimens. PLA specimens showed an increase in tensile strength from 22.49 MPa at 40% infill density to 45.00 MPa at 100% infill density, representing a 100.09% enhancement. PLA+CF specimens exhibited an increase from 23.09 MPa to 42.54 MPa, marking an 84.27% improvement. After 30 days of lubricant exposure, the tensile strength of PLA specimens decreased by 15.56%, while PLA+CF specimens experienced an 18.60% reduction. Strain values exhibited minor fluctuations, indicating stable elasticity, and Young’s modulus improved significantly with higher infill densities, suggesting enhanced material stiffness. Increasing the infill density of FDM 3D-printed PLA and PLA+CF specimens significantly enhance their mechanical properties, even under prolonged exposure to cooling lubricants. These findings have significant implications for industrial applications, indicating that optimizing infill density can enhance the durability and performance of 3D-printed components. This study offers a robust foundation for further research and practical applications, highlighting the critical role of infill density in enhancing structural integrity and load-bearing capacity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical and Structural Properties of Polymer Materials)
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