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Polymers
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Design and Manufacture of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites
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Design and Manufacture of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 4498

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Qigang Han

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
Interests: polymers composites; multi-point molding technology; intelligent manufacturing; bionic design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fiber-reinforced polymer materials combine the high-strength characteristics of fiber with the formability of the matrix. Owing to its advantages, such as light weight, high performance, and multi-functionality, fiber-reinforced polymer materials are widely applied in fields such as aerospace, automobiles, ships, and sports equipment. In this Special Issue, we will discuss a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to, the interface modification of fiber-reinforced polymer materials, advanced intelligent manufacturing methods for fiber-reinforced polymer materials, the design and forming of functional composite materials, the application of functional composite materials, and the properties of composite materials themselves. We hope that this Special Issue will contribute to the development of composite materials and thus highlight their significant potential.

Prof. Dr. Qigang Han
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

  • fiber-reinforced polymer material
  • lightweight
  • functional composites
  • advanced preparation method
  • interfacial modification
  • composites structure design
  • structural energy storage composite
  • structure–function-integrated devices

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 8402 KB  
Article
Deformation Behavior and Accuracy Control in Gas-Assisted Diaphragm Forming of Composites Using Multi-Point Flexible Die
by Deyu Yue, Ruixiang Luo, Yuan Li, Zhe Wang, Hexuan Shi, Huifeng Mei, Xianglin Chen, Long Cao, Junhang Xu, Yunzheng Han and Qigang Han
Polymers 2026, 18(5), 551; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18050551 - 25 Feb 2026
Viewed by 386
Abstract
Multi-point flexible die (MPFD) exhibits broad application potentials for efficient and controllable forming of curved sheets due to its rapid reconfigurability. Nevertheless, the relatively poor surface accuracy and geometrical accuracy of the fiber-reinforced composite components formed by MPFDs limit the widespread application of [...] Read more.
Multi-point flexible die (MPFD) exhibits broad application potentials for efficient and controllable forming of curved sheets due to its rapid reconfigurability. Nevertheless, the relatively poor surface accuracy and geometrical accuracy of the fiber-reinforced composite components formed by MPFDs limit the widespread application of this technology. In this study, a novel gas-assisted diaphragm forming (GADF) process based on MPFDs for curved basalt fiber/epoxy resin composite sheets was proposed. The precise control of temperature, pressure and MPFD configuration in the process was realized and verified. The effects of different process parameter configurations on dimple defects and geometrical accuracy were analyzed, and the mechanism of defect generation was investigated. A response surface-based forming accuracy prediction model was developed to analyze the influence of component structural parameters on geometrical accuracy. Based on the predictive model, compensation reconfiguration of MPFDs was carried out to achieve high-accuracy sheet forming. Results demonstrated that increasing pressure exacerbated the dimple while reducing shape accuracy. A moderate temperature (120 °C) was proved optimal for component forming, as both excessively low and high temperatures aggravated dimple and induced geometrical errors. Increasing interpolator thickness effectively reduced dimple defects, but excessive thickness adversely affected component geometrical accuracy. Considering both dimple suppression and geometrical accuracy, the optimal process parameters were determined to be 5 kPa, 120 °C, and 2 mm of interpolator thickness. Through MPFD modification based on the response surface model, the geometrical accuracy of the formed components was improved by 38.85%, achieving high-quality forming of the curved composite sheets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Manufacture of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)
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16 pages, 5677 KB  
Article
Research on the Elastic–Plastic Behaviors of Bicontinuous Polymer Matrix and Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Composites Based on Micromechanical Modelling
by Bin Yao, Liang Ren, Guocheng Qi, Yukun Zhao, Zhen Xu, Long Chen, Dongmei Wang and Rui Zhang
Polymers 2025, 17(18), 2517; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17182517 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 712
Abstract
Due to the potential to integrate structural load bearing and energy storage within one single composite structural component, the development of carbon fiber (CF)-based structural power composites (SPCs) has garnered significant attention in electric aircraft, electric vehicles, etc. Building upon our previous investigation [...] Read more.
Due to the potential to integrate structural load bearing and energy storage within one single composite structural component, the development of carbon fiber (CF)-based structural power composites (SPCs) has garnered significant attention in electric aircraft, electric vehicles, etc. Building upon our previous investigation of the electrochemical performance of SPCs, this work focuses on elastic–plastic behaviors of the bicontinuous structural electrolyte matrices (BSEMs) and carbon fiber composite electrodes (CFCEs) in SPCs. Representative volume element (RVE) models of the BSEMs were numerically generated based on the Cahn–Hilliard equation. Furthermore, RVE models of the CFCEs were established, consisting of the BSEM and randomly distributed CFs. The moduli of BSEMs and the transverse moduli of CFCEs with different functional pore phase volume fractions were predicted and validated against experimental results. Additionally, the local plasticity of BSEMs and CFCEs in the tensile process was analyzed. The work indicates that the presence of the bicontinuous structure prolongs the plasticity evolution process, compared with the traditional polymer matrix, which could be used to explain the brittle-ductile transition observed in the matrix-dominated load-bearing process of CFCEs in the previous literature. This work is a step forward in the comprehensive interpretation of the elastic–plastic behaviors of bicontinuous matrices and multifunctional SPCs for realistic engineering applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Manufacture of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)
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18 pages, 5076 KB  
Article
3D-Printed Continuous Flax Fiber-Reinforced Composites Based on a Dual-Resin System
by Yu Long, Zhongsen Zhang, Zhixiong Bi, Kunkun Fu and Yan Li
Polymers 2025, 17(18), 2515; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17182515 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1550
Abstract
Compared with traditional continuous plant fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites, their 3D-printed counterparts offer distinct advantages in the rapid fabrication of complex geometries with integrated forming capabilities. However, the impregnation process of continuous plant fiber yarn with thermoplastic resin presents greater technical challenges compared to [...] Read more.
Compared with traditional continuous plant fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites, their 3D-printed counterparts offer distinct advantages in the rapid fabrication of complex geometries with integrated forming capabilities. However, the impregnation process of continuous plant fiber yarn with thermoplastic resin presents greater technical challenges compared to conventional synthetic fibers (e.g., carbon or glass fibers) typically employed in continuous fiber composites, owing to the yarn’s unique twisted structure. In addition, low molding pressure during 3D printing makes resin impregnation more difficult. To address the impregnation difficulty within plant fiber yarn during 3D printing, we employed two low-viscosity resins, liquid thermoplastic resin (specifically, reactive methyl methacrylate) and thermosetting epoxy resin, to pre-impregnate flax yarns, respectively. A dual-resin prepreg filament is developed for 3D printing of flax fiber-reinforced composites, involving re-coating pre-impregnated flax yarns with polylactic acid. The experimental results indicate that liquid thermoplastic resin-impregnated composites exhibit enhanced mechanical properties, surpassing the epoxy system by 39% in tensile strength and 29% in modulus, attributed to improved impregnation and better interfacial compatibility. This preparation method demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing liquid thermoplastic resin in 3D-printed continuous plant fiber composites, offering a novel approach for producing highly impregnated continuous fiber filaments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Manufacture of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)
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Review

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14 pages, 1948 KB  
Review
Measurement Methods for Fiber Volume Fraction of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites
by Xudan Yao, Yaxin Wang, Haolin Wang, Aiwei Zhan, Yichen Wu, Yaqi Wang and Wandong Wang
Polymers 2026, 18(4), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18040434 - 9 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1344
Abstract
Fiber-reinforced composites are extensively utilized in mass-critical structures spanning aerospace, automotive, civil, etc., owing to their exceptional specific strength and stiffness. Fiber volume fraction (FVF) is a critical parameter for evaluating the performance of the composites. As a consequence, different measurement methods have [...] Read more.
Fiber-reinforced composites are extensively utilized in mass-critical structures spanning aerospace, automotive, civil, etc., owing to their exceptional specific strength and stiffness. Fiber volume fraction (FVF) is a critical parameter for evaluating the performance of the composites. As a consequence, different measurement methods have been developed in recent decades, including resin removal method, thickness measurement method, microscopic method, etc. This paper reviews both traditional destructive (acid digestion, combustion, image analysis, etc.) and newly developed non-destructive techniques (X-ray CT, thermography, ultrasonic, XRD, eddy current, etc.), with a focus on their applicability to specific materials, measurement accuracy, operational complexity and cost. Moreover, key challenges and future directions are discussed, emphasizing the need for non-destructive testing, cost and energy efficiency, intelligent measurement and sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Manufacture of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites)
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