This is a reprint of the articles from the Special Issue entitled "10th Anniversary of Actuators", published in the open-access journal, Actuators. It consists of 18 representative works with four main topics: systematic reviews for specific types of actuators, performance evaluation, design and controls, and new actuators' applications. This reprint helps readers to understand the challenges and the trends of research and development in advancing the theories, methodologies, and design tools of actuators.

Listed by Unglue.it.

The integration of endless fiber reinforced composites in additive manufacturing enables the automated production of materials with high mechanical properties such as strength. The current state of the art utilizing print heads with separate fiber and matrix feeds showed that, without active infiltration, the fiber infiltration is poor or not possible for thermoplastics with low flowability (high viscosity). In this work, the improvement of the print head technology and the investigated infiltration effect lead to a significantly higher infiltration. The material selection of thermoplastic matrix (PA6) and fiber reinforcement (carbon fiber) were adjusted for the new process parameters. The selection of the fiber matrix combination was conducted using the interfacial tension calculations at room temperature. The polar and dispersive surface energy of two different carbon fibers as well as the wetting of PA6 polymer melts on carbon fibers and on aluminum carriers were investigated. The calculation of composite properties using material data of the matrix and fiber was used to determine the process windows for specific parameters such as layer height, layer width and nozzle size. Furthermore, the mechanical properties and the cost of the composite can be determined in relationship with the materials used and the fiber volume content. The composition of the fiber sizing and the influence of high processing temperatures was characterized using TGA, FTIR spectroscopy and XPS analysis. The processing parameters and rheological behavior of PA6 thermoplastic resins and mixtures were investigated, and a mixture of 75 wt.% Ultramid B3k and wt.25% of Ultramid B50l from BASF was used for the composite fabrication by material extrusion. The optimization of the extrusion process enables the production of filaments with higher flowability (low zero viscosity), with the fiber infiltration improved by the adjusted rheological behavior. Samples for mechanical and optical analysis were fabricated using the self developed print head and three different types of carbon fibers. Three point bending properties were investigated as a function of layer height and printing temperature; tensile properties of single composite strands fabricated with different printing temperatures and multilayer composite were also characterized. The fiber volume content and the porosity were evaluated in crosssectional analyses. The investigated material combinations, optimization of process parameters and the fiber roving infiltration effect in the print head leads to higher mechanical properties and lower porosity in the composite.

Listed by Unglue.it.

Additive manufacturing technology offers the ability to produce personalized products with lower development costs, shorter lead times, less energy consumed during manufacturing and less material waste. It can be used to manufacture complex parts and enables manufacturers to reduce their inventory, make products on-demand, create smaller and localized manufacturing environments, and even reduce supply chains. Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as fabricating three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) components, refers to processes that allow for the direct fabrication of physical products from computer-aided design (CAD) models through the repetitious deposition of material layers. Compared with traditional manufacturing processes, AM allows the production of customized parts from bio- and synthetic polymers without the need for molds or machining typical for conventional formative and subtractive fabrication.In this Special Issue, we aimed to capture the cutting-edge state-of-the-art research pertaining to advancing the additive manufacturing of polymeric materials. The topic themes include advanced polymeric material development, processing parameter optimization, characterization techniques, structure–property relationships, process modelling, etc., specifically for AM.

Listed by Unglue.it.

Additive Manufacturing (AM), often known as 3D printing, is a vast discipline with a wide range of applications and approaches, all of which provide unique contributions to the development of this rapidly evolving field. This Special Issue, a carefully chosen selection of twelve articles, provides an in-depth examination of AM, highlighting its numerous applications in a variety of industries. The compilation offers a scholarly conversation that examines the complex subtleties and technological developments in AM. It explores the fundamentals of design, material innovation, and process optimization, highlighting the influence and versatility of the area. The papers showcase the depth and breadth of additive manufacturing (AM), ranging from industry applications in aerospace and medical domains to research-focused endeavours in material discovery and prototyping. They were chosen based on their contribution to the body of knowledge. The group highlights AM's importance in the present and future technology environments by showcasing its current status as well as offering insights into its changing tendencies. When taken as a whole, these articles offer a comprehensive understanding of AM, highlighting its adaptability, versatility, and potential to revolutionize a range of industries. The combination of additive manufacturing (AM) with cutting-edge technologies like machine learning and bio-inspired design holds the potential to open up new possibilities in both manufacturing and design.

Listed by Unglue.it.

Biomaterials is currently one of the most important fields of study. This is because of the high degree of interdisciplinarity and the many practical solutions it provides in relation to medicine, biology, chemistry, and physics. This Special Issue provides readers with research from the domain of composite biomaterials in different applications, from controlled drug release systems to tissue engineering.

Listed by Unglue.it.

In collaboration with the MDPI publishing house, we are pleased to introduce the reader to our new project, a Special Issue entitled “Advanced Eco-friendly Wood-Based Composites”. This Special Issue provides an opportunity to investigate advanced eco-friendly wood-based composites from a broader perspective. The coronavirus pandemic and shutdown measures employed to contain it, as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine, have influenced and decelerated the world economy and adversely impacted research activities on most levels in all countries. Surprisingly, researchers in the field of wood-based composites have continued to make progress, which is also described in this Special Issue.

Listed by Unglue.it.

The ongoing twin transition of the wood-based panel industry towards a green, digital, and more resilient bioeconomy is essential for a successful transformation to decarbonize the sector and implement a circular development model, transforming linear industrial value chains to minimize pollution and waste generation, and providing more sustainable growth and jobs. This green transition represents an opportunity to place the wood-based panel industry on a new path of more sustainable and inclusive growth, tackling climate change and reducing its dependence on fossil-derived raw materials, thus improving the industry’s resource efficiency and security. It provides examples of the most recent advances and technological developments in the design, production, characteristics, and current and future applications of sustainable, eco-friendly wood and wood-based composites with enhanced properties and a reduced carbon footprint. It is intended for material scientists, wood scientists, environmental scientists, graduate and postgraduate students in Wood Science and Technology, as well as wood-based panel industry professionals. In addition, the content is relevant to government authorities and stakeholders working in the domain of sustainable wood value chains, aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goals and enhanced contribution of the forest-based sector to long-term climate change mitigation.

Listed by Unglue.it.

Advanced materials for energy and environmental applications (such as rapid heating, anti-fouling/anti-virus surface, chemical sensor, textile/stretchable sensor, fuel cell, and lithium-ion batteries) have been extensively investigated in the academic and industrial fields. The advent of cabon-based nano-materials (carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carbon black) and inonganic nano-materials (Ag wire/particles, Cu mesh, and transition metal dichalcogenide) has accelerated research interest in energy and environmental applications. This book is focused on the emerging concept and improvement of energy and environmental basic research, as well as in the characterization and analysis of novel energy and environmental base materials. The contents of the book are as below: - Theoretical and experimental studies on advanced conducting nanocomposites; - Electrical properties of nanocomposites under various conditions (dynamic mode, aspect ratio, alignment, and contents) and its applications; - Advanced material for energy applications; - Analysis and materials for environmental applications.

Listed by Unglue.it.

This reprint contains a collection of state-of-the-art reviews and original research articles from leaders in the field of 3D/4D printing. It focuses on 3D/4D printing materials with novel and/or advanced functionalities, novel applications of 3DP material, and material synthesis and characterization techniques.

Listed by Unglue.it.

This book focuses on advanced nanomaterials for energy conversion and storage, covering their design, synthesis, properties and applications in various fields. Developing advanced nanomaterials for high-performance and low-cost energy conversion and storage devices and technologies is of great significance in order to solve the issues of energy crisis and environmental pollution. In this book, various advanced nanomaterials for batteries, capacitors, electrocatalysis, nanogenerators, and magnetic nanomaterials are presented

Listed by Unglue.it.

Photocatalysis is an advanced technique that transforms solar energy into sustainable fuels and oxidizes pollutants via the aid of semiconductor photocatalysts. The main scientific and technological challenges toward effective photocatalysis are the stability, robustness, and efficiency of semiconductor photocatalysts. For major practical applications in energy conversion (i.e., hydrogen evolution, CO2 reduction, and oriented synthesis) and environmental remediation (i.e., air purification and antibacterial and wastewater treatment), highly efficient and stable photocatalysts need to be developed. This Special Issue collects published original researches on synthesizing novel photocatalytic materials and their application in energy conversion and environmental remediation.

Listed by Unglue.it.

The broad use of composite materials and shell structural members with complex geometries in technologies related to various branches of engineering has gained increased attention from scientists and engineers for the development of even more refined approaches and investigation of their mechanical behavior. It is well known that composite materials are able to provide higher values of strength stiffness, and thermal properties, together with conferring reduced weight, which can affect the mechanical behavior of beams, plates, and shells, in terms of static response, vibrations, and buckling loads. At the same time, enhanced structures made of composite materials can feature internal length scales and non-local behaviors, with great sensitivity to different staking sequences, ply orientations, agglomeration of nanoparticles, volume fractions of constituents, and porosity levels, among others. In addition to fiber-reinforced composites and laminates, increased attention has been paid in literature to the study of innovative components such as functionally graded materials (FGMs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoplatelets, and smart constituents. Some examples of smart applications involve large stroke smart actuators, piezoelectric sensors, shape memory alloys, magnetostrictive and electrostrictive materials, as well as auxetic components and angle-tow laminates. These constituents can be included in the lamination schemes of smart structures to control and monitor the vibrational behavior or the static deflection of several composites. The development of advanced theoretical and computational models for composite materials and structures is a subject of active research and this is explored here for different complex systems, including their static, dynamic, and buckling responses; fracture mechanics at different scales; the adhesion, cohesion, and delamination of materials and interfaces.

Listed by Unglue.it.

In the last decade, design and material innovations for manufacturing composites have reached new heights. Thermoplastic polymers and their composites have become the most in-demand materials in recent times as they provide numerous advantages over thermoset composites. Thermoplastic polymers have a high damage tolerance, high impact resistance, recyclability, formability, weldability, repairability, and cost-effectiveness compared with thermoset composites. Thermoplastic polymers and composites are widely used in automotive, aerospace, electrical and electronics, industrial, and medical applications. Thermoplastic composites are estimated to grow from USD 28.0 billion in 2019 to USD 36.0 billion by 2024. High-performance thermoplastic materials are used in conjunction with a multitude of manufacturing processes like injection moulding, thermoforming, prepreg, liquid injection processes, automated tape placement, filament winding, pultrusion, additive manufacturing, and other processes. The material limits, design, and assembly requirements, as well as the processing constraints, are significantly important for the realisation of novel product development using a manufacturing process by simultaneously optimising reliability, safety, and other performance-related issues. The current thermoplastic material systems and manufacturing techniques still have plenty of room for optimisation and advancement. This reprint presents the latest scientific and technical advances in thermoplastic materials and their composites, processing, characterisation, product development, and manufacturing process parameter optimisations.

Listed by Unglue.it.

This reprint summarizes recent advances in the production and research of biobased and biodegradable polymeric composites for various applications. The development and characterization of environmentally friendly, conductive and biomedical materials as well as materials with barrier and antimicrobial properties have been considered and discussed.

Listed by Unglue.it.

Among the strategies for reducing the negative effects on the environment affected by the uncontrolled consumption and low potential for the recovery of conventional plastics, the synthesis of new biodegradable and recyclable plastics represents one of the most promising methods for minimizing the negative effects of conventional non-biodegradable plastics. The spectrum of existing biodegradable materials is still very narrow. Therefore, to achieve greater applicability, research is being carried out on biodegradable polymer mixtures, the synthesis of new polymers, and the incorporation of new stabilizers for thermal degradation, alongside the use of other additives such as antibacterials or new and more sustainable plasticizers. Some studies analyze direct applications, such as shape memory foams, new cartilage implants, drug release, etc. The reader can find several studies on the degradation of biodegradable polymers under composting conditions. However, novel bacteria that degrade polymers considered non-biodegradable in other, unusual conditions (such as conditions of high salinity) are also presented.

Listed by Unglue.it.

As contemporary and emerging engineering applications demand increasingly high performance from metallic materials, research into their degradation in a variety of environments is a hot topic in the scientific community. This reprint is dedicated to providing the readership with an up-to-date overview of current corrosion research on different metallic materials (steels, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, and copper alloys), exploring fundamental and practical aspects related to corrosion mechanisms and protection methods to advance the current knowledge in this field. The content of this reprint provides new and insightful concepts to promote the development of optimized surfaces with high corrosion protection ability.

Listed by Unglue.it.

Electrochemical devices have drawn remarkable attention and elicited spectacular growth in recent decades for a broad range of applications, including energy storage, sensing, electrochemical processing, etc. Recent advances in nanomaterials and nanotechnology have boosted great promise for electrochemistry to offer reliable and high-performance devices. This Special Issue, entitled “Advances in Nano-Electrochemical Materials and Devices”, aimed to focus on recent advances in the design, manufacture, and application of nanoelectrochemical materials and devices. This Special Issue included twelve papers, where nine original research papers highlighted novel research progress on advanced nanomaterials and nano-systems for oxygen reduction reactions, batteries, supercapacitors, and sensors. In addition, recent achievements in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, biosensors, and Li-CO2 batteries were comprehensively summarized in three review papers.

Listed by Unglue.it.

Smart materials and structures are capable of active or passive changes in terms of shapes, properties, and mechanical or electromagnetic responses in reaction to an external stimulus, such as light, temperature, stress, moisture, pH, and electric or magnetic fields. They have attracted increasing interest for their enhanced performance and efficiency over a wide range of industrial applications, especially for aerospace. These require novel engineering approaches and design philosophies in order to integrate the actions of sensors, actuators, and control circuit elements into a single system that can respond adaptively to its surroundings. This reprint has collected cutting-edge research and recent advances in smart materials and structures, including seven original research papers and three review articles, co-authored by 65 scientists and engineers from 18 institutions and 3 industries. The research topics mainly cover advanced materials, applications of smart materials and structures, as well as recent development in sensing techniques. We hope this reprint will contribute to disseminating the latest progress in smart materials and structures, as well as stimulate the interest of its audience to work in this important and vibrant area to promote and benefit the multidisciplinary scientific communities.

Listed by Unglue.it.

It is well known that many structural and physical problems cannot be solved by analytical approaches. These problems require the development of numerical methods to get approximate but accurate solutions. The minite element method (FEM) represents one of the most typical methodologies that can be used to achieve this aim, due to its simple implementation, easy adaptability, and very good accuracy. For these reasons, the FEM is a widespread technique which is employed in many engineering fields, such as civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering. The large-scale deployment of powerful computers and the consequent recent improvement of the computational resources have provided the tools to develop numerical approaches that are able to solve more complex structural systems characterized by peculiar mechanical configurations. Laminated or multi-phase composites, structures made of innovative materials, and nanostructures are just some examples of applications that are commonly and accurately solved by the FEM. Analogously, the same numerical approaches can be employed to validate the results of experimental tests. The main aim of this Special Issue is to collect numerical investigations focused on the use of the finite element method

Listed by Unglue.it.

"Advances in Sustainable Polymeric Materials" is a compilation of 22 articles highlighting the recent progress in the research and development of polymeric materials, with an emphasis on sustainability. Some papers focus on developing biodegradable plastics obtained from renewable sources such as starch and biomass waste. Other articles discuss modification techniques to improve the mechanical properties of biopolymers such as PLA and PHAs. The use of recycled polymeric materials in the construction industry is highlighted as a low-cost and environmentally friendly solution.Other studies include investigations on polymer-modified bitumen, a novel sound-absorbing material made from used palm-oil-based polyurethane foam and water hyacinth fibre composite, bio-based epoxy-lignin coatings, TiO2 nanocomposites, the photocatalytic activity of different polymeric composites, sustainable elastomers, interactions between vanillyl-alcohol-based epoxy and cross-linkers, polyvinyl chloride sorbent for rare earth elements, lignin-based thermoplastic, the chemical foaming process of polylactic acid, microencapsulation strategies for essential oils, electrochemical sensors for glucose determination, and an intelligent drug delivery system based on pH-sensitive polymeric formulations.It is important to recognize that the field of sustainable polymeric materials is vast and rapidly evolving, and while a single volume cannot entirely capture all the developments occurring in this field, this collection provides readers with a valuable introduction and overview of the topic.

Listed by Unglue.it.

This book mainly focuses on the processing and applications of polymer and its composites. With the fast development of the petroleum industry, polymer materials have been widely utilized in our daily lives. The various processing methods of polymers determine the final properties and performance of products. In addition, the introduction of different fillers, including inorganic fillers, metal oxide, natural fibers, and so on, can increase the physical and chemical properties of polymer composites, which will further broaden their practical applications. Special attention will be paid to the type of processing methods and the functional fillers on the performance of polymer composites.

Listed by Unglue.it.

Wood composites have shown very good performance, and substantial service lives when correctly specified for the exposure risks present. Selection of an appropriate product for the job should be accompanied by decisions about the appropriate protection, whether this is by design, by preservative treatment or by wood modification techniques. This Special Issue, Advances in Wood Composites presents recent progress in enhancing and refining the performance and properties of wood composites by chemical and thermal modification and the application of smart nanomaterials, which have made them a particular area of interest for researchers. In addition, it reviews some important aspects in the field of wood composites, with particular focus on their materials, applications, and engineering and scientific advances, including solutions inspired biomimetrically by the structure of wood and wood composites. This Special Issue, with a collection of 13 original contributions, provides selected examples of recent Advances in Wood Composites

Listed by Unglue.it.

Wood composites have shown very good performance and substantial service lives when correctly specified for the exposure risks present. The selection of an appropriate product for the job should be accompanied by decisions about the appropriate protection, whether this is by design, by preservative treatment, or by wood modification techniques. This Special Issue, “Advances in Wood Composites II”, presents recent progress in enhancing and refining the performance and properties of wood composites by chemical and thermal modification and the application of smart nanomaterials. Such enhancements and refinements have made wood composites a particular area of interest for researchers. In addition, this Special Issue reviews some important aspects in the field of wood composites, with particular focus on their materials, applications, and engineering and scientific advances, including solutions inspired biomimetically by the structure of wood and wood composites. This Special Issue, as a collection of 14 original contributions, provides selected examples of recent advances in wood composites.

Listed by Unglue.it.

Creating antibacterial surfaces is the primary approach in preventing the occurrence and diffusion of clinical infections and foodborne diseases as well as in contrasting the propagation of pandemics in everyday life. Proper surface engineering can inhibit microorganism spread and biofilm formation, can contrast antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and can avoid cross-contamination from a contaminated surface to another and eventually to humans. For these reasons, antibacterial surfaces play a key role in many applications, ranging from biomedicine to food and beverage materials, textiles, and objects with frequent human contact. The incorporation of antimicrobial agents within a surface or their addition onto a surface are very effective strategies to achieve this aim and to properly modify many other surface properties at the same time. In this framework, this Special Issue collects research studying several materials and methods related to the antibacterial properties of surfaces for different applications and discussions about the environmental and human-safety aspects.

Listed by Unglue.it.

This Reprint, guest-edited by Dr. Fei Han, brings together a collection of research works dedicated to the advancement of functional polymer-based gels, with particular emphasis on smart hydrogels, stimuli-responsive materials, polymer composites, and flexible electronic devices. This collection focuses on the design, synthesis, and application of these gel-based materials, with the aim of presenting the latest research advances in areas such as wearable health monitoring and sensors, and highlighting the potential for further innovative research in the field.

Listed by Unglue.it.

The focus of this work lies on the microstructure-based modeling and characterization of a discontinuous fiber-reinforced thermoset in the form of sheet molding compound (SMC). A microstructure-based parameter identification scheme for SMC with an inhomogeneous fiber orientation distribution is introduced. Different cruciform specimen designs, including two concepts to reinforce the specimens' arms are evaluated. Additionally, a micromechanical mean-field damage model for the SMC is introduced.

Listed by Unglue.it.