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Polymer Thin Films: Synthesis, Properties, and Multifunctional Applications

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 560

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Sciences and Environment, Universitatea Dunarea de Jos din Galati, Galati, Romania
Interests: thin films; semiconductors; optics; spectroscopy; environment; physics; atmosphere

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled “Polymer Thin Films: Synthesis, Properties, and Multifunctional Applications”, is intended as a comprehensive collection of the most recent studies regarding the synthesis, characterization, and applications of some of the most versatile and cost-efficient thin films, namely those made of polymers. Different types of polymer-based materials will be the focus of this Special Issue (containing studies on pure, mixed, and composite materials). Studies exploring various deposition techniques, both physical and chemical, in open air, vacuum, or in a controlled atmosphere, are welcome for submission.

 Studies exploring main physical properties of polymer-based are also welcome for submission, leading to improved knowledge regarding their composition, structure, and morphology assessments, properties, parameters (optical, electrical, gas sensing, gas capture, etc.), and their potential uses in various fields, i.e., materials, environmental science, engineering, energy production, medicine, and microelectronics. This Special Issue will act as a bridge between fundamental research and engineering of polymer-based materials.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Simona Condurache-Bota
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

  • polymer thin films
  • functional polymers
  • preparation techniques
  • polymer properties
  • polymer applications
  • new materials

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 1933 KB  
Article
Sensor-Efficient Estimation of Roll Misalignment via Side-to-Side Tension Differences in Roll-to-Roll Polymer Film Processing
by Junyoung Yun, Sangbin Lee, Jeongwon Jang, Mingi Kim, Chanwoo Kim and Changwoo Lee
Polymers 2025, 17(21), 2907; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17212907 - 30 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 433
Abstract
Roll misalignment in roll-to-roll (R2R) processes is a critical cause of lateral displacement and tension imbalance, leading to dimensional instability and surface defects in polymer films. Conventional analyses based on beam or camber models often require complex calibration and additional sensing, which can [...] Read more.
Roll misalignment in roll-to-roll (R2R) processes is a critical cause of lateral displacement and tension imbalance, leading to dimensional instability and surface defects in polymer films. Conventional analyses based on beam or camber models often require complex calibration and additional sensing, which can limit their applicability in real-time production environments. This study introduces a diagnostic approach that estimates web misalignment directly from side-to-side tension differences measured in roll-to-roll (R2R) systems. The method eliminates the need for additional sensors and complex geometric calibration, simplifying system setup. The correlation between tension imbalance, lateral displacement, and the equivalent misalignment angle was experimentally established. Our approach produced accurate predictions across various process conditions, including different roll misalignments and applied tensions, and we found that reducing tension “hunting” further enhances prediction stability. This study demonstrates that the proposed tension-based approach can complement existing systems and reduce the reliance on complex external sensing for diagnostic checks of misalignment. By simplifying alignment diagnostics, the method provides a practical route to enhance process setup, reduce downtime, and improve the uniformity of polymer films in continuous manufacturing. Full article
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