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Polymers
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Mechanical Behavior of Polymer-Based Materials
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Mechanical Behavior of Polymer-Based Materials

A topical collection in Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This collection belongs to the section "Polymer Analysis and Characterization".

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Editor

Dr. Marcelo Antunes

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Poly2 Group, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC BarcelonaTech), ESEIAAT, C/Colom 11, 08222 Terrassa, Spain
Interests: additives; aerogels; composites; conductivity; extrusion; films; foaming; foams; foils; fracture; graphene; ignifugation; membranes; molding; nanocomposites; nanoparticles; oxides; permeability; polyfunctional materials; polymers; processing; properties; resistance; silicates; structure; supercritical fluid
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer-based materials, which are a diverse group of materials that include plastics (brittle and ductile), elastomers, polymeric fibers, coatings, and adhesives, as well as polymer (nano)composites, have seen a considerable boost in recent years in both research and industrial worlds, given their combination of lightness, high thermal and electrical insulating properties, as well as versatile mechanical performance. In this sense, the mechanical behavior of these materials may be tailored according to their end-use field of application, by adjusting characteristics such as molecular structure and architecture or the possible degree of crystallinity, as well as by combining them with additives (plasticizers, lubricants, impact modifiers, etc.); the selection of the technology for processing them (from conventional such as extrusion or injection-molding to more advanced ones) and the processing conditions also play a key role in defining their final mechanical properties; short-, mid-, and long-term mechanical performance may also be significantly affected by external factors, such as use temperature (occasional or sustained over time), moisture and/or exposure to solvents/chemicals.

This Topical Collection, entitled "Mechanical Behavior of Polymer-Based Materials”, seeks high-quality works focusing on the following:

  • Mechanical characterization of polymer-based materials for a wide range of application fields;
  • Mechanical properties of polymer-based materials: low velocity and impact testing;
  • Mechanical properties of polymer-based materials: creep behavior and fatigue performance;
  • Mechanical properties of polymer-based materials: fracture behavior;
  • Influence of molecular characteristics on the mechanical behavior of polymer-based materials;
  • Influence of processing on the mechanical behavior of polymer-based materials;
  • Influence of external factors on the short, mid and long-term mechanical behavior of polymer-based materials;
  • Theoretical models for predicting the mechanical behavior of polymer-based materials.

Dr. Marcelo Antunes
Collection 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 collection 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

  • polymer-based materials
  • polymer (nano)composites
  • mechanical behavior
  • impact testing
  • creep
  • fatigue
  • fracture
  • molecular characteristics
  • processing
  • external factors
  • predictive theoretical models

Published Papers (1 paper)

2025

30 pages, 8202 KiB  
Article
Structure and Texture Synergies in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Polymers: A Comparative Evaluation of Tribological and Mechanical Properties
by Patricia Isabela Brăileanu, Marius-Teodor Mocanu, Tiberiu Gabriel Dobrescu, Nicoleta Elisabeta Pascu and Dan Dobrotă
Polymers 2025, 17(15), 2159; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152159 - 7 Aug 2025
Viewed by 383
Abstract
This study investigates the interplay between infill structure and surface texture in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)-printed polymer specimens and their combined influence on tribological and mechanical performance. Unlike previous works that focus on single-variable analysis, this work offers a comparative evaluation of Shore [...] Read more.
This study investigates the interplay between infill structure and surface texture in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)-printed polymer specimens and their combined influence on tribological and mechanical performance. Unlike previous works that focus on single-variable analysis, this work offers a comparative evaluation of Shore D hardness and coefficient of friction (COF) for PLA and Iglidur materials, incorporating diverse infill patterns. The results reveal that specific combinations (e.g., grid infill with 90% density) optimize hardness and minimize friction, offering practical insights for design optimization in functional parts. Our aim is to provide design insights for enhanced wear resistance and hardness through tailored structural configurations. Carbon Fiber-reinforced PLA (PLA CF), aramid fiber-reinforced Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (Kevlar), and Iglidur I180-BL tribofilament. Disc specimens were fabricated with gyroid infill densities ranging from 10% to 100%. Experimental methodologies included Ball-on-Disc tests conducted under dry sliding conditions (5 N normal load, 150 mm/s sliding speed) to assess friction and wear characteristics. These tribological evaluations were complemented by profilometric and microscopic analyses and Shore D hardness testing. The results show that Iglidur I180-BL achieved the lowest friction coefficients (0.141–0.190) and negligible wear, while PLA specimens with 90% infill demonstrated a polishing-type wear with minimal material loss and a friction coefficient (COF) of ~0.108. In contrast, PLA CF and Kevlar exhibited higher wear depths (up to 154 µm for Kevlar) and abrasive mechanisms due to fiber detachment. Shore hardness values increased with infill density, with PLA reaching a maximum of 82.7 Shore D. These findings highlight the critical interplay between infill architecture and surface patterning and offer actionable guidelines for the functional design of durable FDM components in load-bearing or sliding applications. Full article
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