Processing–Structure–Properties of Cork Polymer Composites

Cork Composites: A Review

Cork is a material which has been used for mankind for the last 5,000 years and it is a strategic material used for multiple applications, from wine bottles to aeronautics. Many of current cork materials are composites, in particular cork materials for floor and wall coverings and several other building and industrial applications. Recent developments in cork research have shifted from the clas...

Polymer Microvascular Network Composites

Microvascular networks show promise for applications such as selfhealing, self-cooling, and structural damage sensing. Fluid-filled micro-scale channels have been investigated extensively in the field of microfluidics, but threedimensional networks in polymeric structural materials have been achieved only recently. The purpose of microvascular network integration is to provide a vehicle for the...

Ionomeric Polymer-Metal Composites

Shape-Memory Polymer Composites

The development of shape-memory polymer composites (SMPCs) enables high recovery stress levels as well as novel functions such as electrical conductivity, magnetism, and biofunctionality. In this review chapter the substantial enhancement in mechanical properties of shape-memory polymers (SMPs) by incorporating small amounts of stiff fillers will be highlighted exemplarily for clay and polyhedr...

Carbon Nanotube Polymer Composites

Figure2 While there are limitless applications for these materials, we are interested in radiation shielding and radiation resistant materials for use in the space industry. Initially, we focused on optically transparent single wall nanotoube (SWNT) polymer composites (2-5). Three different in situ polymerization/sonication methods, heat, light and gamma radiation, were used to produce poly (me...