Process-induced deformation (PID) during the curing of thermoset composites, driven by complex mechanisms, compromises the load-bearing capacity and service life of assembled components. This study explores a gravity-driven strategy, inspired by gravitropism in plant root growth, to suppress PID and enhance the performance of thin-walled S-glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates for aerospace applications. The upside-down molding (UM) process, leveraging gravitational resin flow, reduced thickness variance by up to 47.37 % and curing deformation by up to 24.28 % compared to conventional molding (CM). Three-point bending tests revealed UM improved bending strength stability, energy absorption density rises of 16.10 %. These enhancements, attributed to optimized interlayer resin distribution, suggest potential for aerospace structural applications.
{"title":"Investigation on suppressing curing deformation and optimizing performance of fiber composites with gravity-driven strategies","authors":"Yuhang Ding , Xishuang Jing , Fubao Xie , Jingyan An , Boyan Shen , Siyu Chen , Chengyang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111480","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111480","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Process-induced deformation (PID) during the curing of thermoset composites, driven by complex mechanisms, compromises the load-bearing capacity and service life of assembled components. This study explores a gravity-driven strategy, inspired by gravitropism in plant root growth, to suppress PID and enhance the performance of thin-walled S-glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminates for aerospace applications. The upside-down molding (UM) process, leveraging gravitational resin flow, reduced thickness variance by up to 47.37 % and curing deformation by up to 24.28 % compared to conventional molding (CM). Three-point bending tests revealed UM improved bending strength stability, energy absorption density rises of 16.10 %. These enhancements, attributed to optimized interlayer resin distribution, suggest potential for aerospace structural applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111480"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111483
Wenlong Hu , Hui Cheng , Kaifu Zhang , Yapeng Li , Haozhe Yang , Yuan Li , Renzi Bai , Biao Liang
The concurrent multiscale damage analysis allows to capture the macro and micro damage information simultaneously for carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite (CFRP) joint, which is beneficial for elucidating its complex multiscale damage failure mechanisms. However, existing concurrent multiscale methods have failed to balance the efficiency and accuracy, posing challenges for the concurrent damage simulation of CFRP joint. To address this issue, this work proposed a novel concurrent multiscale method integrating finite element method (FEM) and physics-informed neural network (PINN) based self-consistent clustering analysis (SCA) method, aiming at efficiently and accurately predicting the multiscale damage behavior of CFRP joint. The PINN-based SCA method was employed to efficiently compute the stress and damage state of the unidirectional representative volume element (UD-RVE) at microscale, while the modified macro stress homogenization method and the energy-based macro damage state calculation method were adopted to accurately compute the stress and damage of corresponding macro material point. The effectiveness of the proposed method was validated through in-situ loading experiments and Digital Image Correlation (DIC) experiments, demonstrating its capability to effectively capture the multiscale damage behavior of CFRP joint. In the end, different joint forms (bolt forms and lapped forms) were analyzed with this method to investigate the influence of joint forms on the damage around the bolt-holes, providing a useful analysis tool for the design of CFRP joint structure.
{"title":"A novel concurrent multiscale damage analysis method enhanced by physics-informed neural network for composite joint","authors":"Wenlong Hu , Hui Cheng , Kaifu Zhang , Yapeng Li , Haozhe Yang , Yuan Li , Renzi Bai , Biao Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111483","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111483","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The concurrent multiscale damage analysis allows to capture the macro and micro damage information simultaneously for carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite (CFRP) joint, which is beneficial for elucidating its complex multiscale damage failure mechanisms. However, existing concurrent multiscale methods have failed to balance the efficiency and accuracy, posing challenges for the concurrent damage simulation of CFRP joint. To address this issue, this work proposed a novel concurrent multiscale method integrating finite element method (FEM) and physics-informed neural network (PINN) based self-consistent clustering analysis (SCA) method, aiming at efficiently and accurately predicting the multiscale damage behavior of CFRP joint. The PINN-based SCA method was employed to efficiently compute the stress and damage state of the unidirectional representative volume element (UD-RVE) at microscale, while the modified macro stress homogenization method and the energy-based macro damage state calculation method were adopted to accurately compute the stress and damage of corresponding macro material point. The effectiveness of the proposed method was validated through in-situ loading experiments and Digital Image Correlation (DIC) experiments, demonstrating its capability to effectively capture the multiscale damage behavior of CFRP joint. In the end, different joint forms (bolt forms and lapped forms) were analyzed with this method to investigate the influence of joint forms on the damage around the bolt-holes, providing a useful analysis tool for the design of CFRP joint structure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111483"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111482
Mengqi Ma , Zepu Wang , Kaixiang Chen , Junyue Huang , Wei Zeng , Wenhong Ruan , Mingqiu Zhang
All-solid-state lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are widely recognized as one of the most promising next-generation energy storage technologies. However, their commercialization is still hampered by insufficient interfacial contact between the solid electrolyte and the cathode, along with low ionic conductivity in these solid components. In this work, a highly efficient “solid-polymer-solid” Li+ transport channel was constructed based on a Diels–Alder (DA) crosslinked polyurethane (PU) incorporated with lithium bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide (PUDAL). This polymer system was applied simultaneously as both the cathode binder and the solid electrolyte. The interfacial resistance between the solid electrolyte and the cathode is significantly reduced through the construction of an integrated interfacial structure. An intimate contact at the molecular level is generated by the DA bonds, which enhances the compatibility and stability of the cathode-electrolyte interface and facilitates continuous Li+ transport pathways. The utilization of DA bonds for cross-linking solid polymer electrolytes enables the preparation of solid-state electrolytes with enhanced electrochemical and mechanical properties. These improved characteristics contribute to more uniform lithium metal deposition and effective suppression of lithium dendrite growth. The Li symmetric cells employing PUDAL exhibited stable cycling for over 1500 h (0.1 mA cm−2) at both 60 °C and 30 °C. Furthermore, the integrated LFP-PUDAL |PUDAL| Li full cells demonstrated remarkable long-term charge/discharge stability and high capacity retention under the same temperature conditions.
全固态锂金属电池（lmb）被广泛认为是最有前途的下一代储能技术之一。然而，由于固体电解质和阴极之间的界面接触不足，以及这些固体成分中的离子电导率低，它们的商业化仍然受到阻碍。在这项工作中，基于Diels-Alder （DA）交联聚氨酯（PU）和双（三氟甲基磺酰基）亚胺锂（PUDAL）构建了一个高效的“固体-聚合物-固体”Li+传输通道。该聚合物体系同时用作阴极粘结剂和固体电解质。通过构建集成界面结构，大大降低了固体电解质与阴极之间的界面电阻。DA键在分子水平上产生了密切的接触，增强了阴极-电解质界面的相容性和稳定性，促进了Li+的连续传输途径。利用DA键进行交联固体聚合物电解质，可以制备出具有增强的电化学和机械性能的固态电解质。这些改进的特性有助于更均匀的金属锂沉积和有效地抑制锂枝晶的生长。使用PUDAL的锂对称电池在60°C和30°C下均能稳定循环超过1500 h （0.1 mA cm−2）。此外，在相同温度条件下，集成的LFP-PUDAL |锂电池具有显著的长期充放电稳定性和高容量保持性。
{"title":"Integrated cathode/electrolyte with low resistance enables untra-long cycle-lifetime in solid-state lithium-metal batteries","authors":"Mengqi Ma , Zepu Wang , Kaixiang Chen , Junyue Huang , Wei Zeng , Wenhong Ruan , Mingqiu Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111482","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111482","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>All-solid-state lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are widely recognized as one of the most promising next-generation energy storage technologies. However, their commercialization is still hampered by insufficient interfacial contact between the solid electrolyte and the cathode, along with low ionic conductivity in these solid components. In this work, a highly efficient “solid-polymer-solid” Li<sup>+</sup> transport channel was constructed based on a Diels–Alder (DA) crosslinked polyurethane (PU) incorporated with lithium bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide (PUDAL). This polymer system was applied simultaneously as both the cathode binder and the solid electrolyte. The interfacial resistance between the solid electrolyte and the cathode is significantly reduced through the construction of an integrated interfacial structure. An intimate contact at the molecular level is generated by the DA bonds, which enhances the compatibility and stability of the cathode-electrolyte interface and facilitates continuous Li<sup>+</sup> transport pathways. The utilization of DA bonds for cross-linking solid polymer electrolytes enables the preparation of solid-state electrolytes with enhanced electrochemical and mechanical properties. These improved characteristics contribute to more uniform lithium metal deposition and effective suppression of lithium dendrite growth. The Li symmetric cells employing PUDAL exhibited stable cycling for over 1500 h (0.1 mA cm<sup>−2</sup>) at both 60 °C and 30 °C. Furthermore, the integrated LFP-PUDAL |PUDAL| Li full cells demonstrated remarkable long-term charge/discharge stability and high capacity retention under the same temperature conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111482"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145837055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-09DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111481
Ziyi Liu, Jinzhao Huang, Shangyang Yu, Zhonggang Li, Siyang Wu, Weiyang Zheng, Bo Xiong, Licheng Guo
This paper proposes a novel non-destructive testing method for damage identification in composite plates, which is based on Frequency Response Functions (FRFs)-integrated Equivalent Mode Shape Derivatives (FEMSD), to address the critical challenge of measurement noise degrading the accuracy of vibration-based methods. The proposed method constructs noise-robust equivalent mode shape derivatives by leveraging FRFs within adaptively optimized frequency bands. Its core innovation lies in uniquely determining these optimal frequency bands by minimizing the equivalent mode shape's mean curvature. This strategy autonomously balances noise suppression with modal fidelity without any prior knowledge of the uncontaminated mode shape. Validation via numerical simulations and experiments on composite plates with matrix cracks and delamination shows that the proposed method establishes a robust and noise-resistant framework, outperforming the conventional Mode Shape Derivative Based Damage Identification (MSDBDI) method in accuracy, noise robustness, and reliability. It achieves accurate identification of a 112-mm crack at 10 % noise and 40 × 40 mm delamination at 15 % noise, whereas the MSDBDI method possesses 0 % noise tolerance for accurate identification. Experimental validations further confirm the method's practicality, demonstrating that it eliminates false positives generated by MSDBDI and yields identification results consistent with ultrasonic C-scans.
{"title":"A novel noise-resistant method for damage identification in Composite plates using equivalent mode shape derivatives","authors":"Ziyi Liu, Jinzhao Huang, Shangyang Yu, Zhonggang Li, Siyang Wu, Weiyang Zheng, Bo Xiong, Licheng Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper proposes a novel non-destructive testing method for damage identification in composite plates, which is based on Frequency Response Functions (FRFs)-integrated Equivalent Mode Shape Derivatives (FEMSD), to address the critical challenge of measurement noise degrading the accuracy of vibration-based methods. The proposed method constructs noise-robust equivalent mode shape derivatives by leveraging FRFs within adaptively optimized frequency bands. Its core innovation lies in uniquely determining these optimal frequency bands by minimizing the equivalent mode shape's mean curvature. This strategy autonomously balances noise suppression with modal fidelity without any prior knowledge of the uncontaminated mode shape. Validation via numerical simulations and experiments on composite plates with matrix cracks and delamination shows that the proposed method establishes a robust and noise-resistant framework, outperforming the conventional Mode Shape Derivative Based Damage Identification (MSDBDI) method in accuracy, noise robustness, and reliability. It achieves accurate identification of a 112-mm crack at 10 % noise and 40 × 40 mm delamination at 15 % noise, whereas the MSDBDI method possesses 0 % noise tolerance for accurate identification. Experimental validations further confirm the method's practicality, demonstrating that it eliminates false positives generated by MSDBDI and yields identification results consistent with ultrasonic <em>C</em>-scans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111481"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-05DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111478
Mengyuan Hao , Zhenjiang Zhang , Xin Qian , Yao Wu , Mingyuan Li , Chengxi Zhu , Yonggang Zhang
With the continuous increase in integration and operating frequency of electronic equipment, issues concerning electromagnetic compatibility and thermal management have drawn significant attention. Graphite foam could be designed as a promising bi-functional material capable of simultaneous heat conduction and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, owing to its highly conductive graphite framework and unique porous architecture that effectively reflects electromagnetic waves. Polyimide (PI) stands out as an ideal carbon source due to its rigid chain structure, thermal stability and high carbonization rate. Herein, this work presents a strategy for the preparation of catalyzed PI-based graphite foam to achieve simultaneous thermal conduction and EMI shielding. In detail, PI-based graphite foam (GPIF) was fabricated via foaming, carbonization and graphitization, along with the graphitic crystallinity being significantly enhanced through catalytic graphitization. Eventually, GPIF-Fe2O3-2800 was prepared through the Fe2O3-catalyzed graphitization under 2800 °C, which exhibited a remarkable thermal conductivity of 7.77 W/(m·K) because of its significantly improved graphitization degree, as demonstrated by the 002 crystal plane spacing of 0.3355 nm. Moreover, when subjected to uncatalyzed graphitization, GPIF-2800 showed exceptional electromagnetic shielding performance, with an electromagnetic shielding efficiency (EMI SE) of 54.55 dB in the X-band frequency range (8–12 GHz). This research provides a straightforward and feasible strategy for developing bi-functional graphite foam materials, suitable for both heat dissipation and EMI shielding in advanced electronic devices.
{"title":"Bifunctional polyimide-based graphite foam with integrated thermal conduction and electromagnetic shielding capabilities","authors":"Mengyuan Hao , Zhenjiang Zhang , Xin Qian , Yao Wu , Mingyuan Li , Chengxi Zhu , Yonggang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111478","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111478","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the continuous increase in integration and operating frequency of electronic equipment, issues concerning electromagnetic compatibility and thermal management have drawn significant attention. Graphite foam could be designed as a promising bi-functional material capable of simultaneous heat conduction and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, owing to its highly conductive graphite framework and unique porous architecture that effectively reflects electromagnetic waves. Polyimide (PI) stands out as an ideal carbon source due to its rigid chain structure, thermal stability and high carbonization rate. Herein, this work presents a strategy for the preparation of catalyzed PI-based graphite foam to achieve simultaneous thermal conduction and EMI shielding. In detail, PI-based graphite foam (GPIF) was fabricated via foaming, carbonization and graphitization, along with the graphitic crystallinity being significantly enhanced through catalytic graphitization. Eventually, GPIF-Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-2800 was prepared through the Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>-catalyzed graphitization under 2800 °C, which exhibited a remarkable thermal conductivity of 7.77 W/(m·K) because of its significantly improved graphitization degree, as demonstrated by the 002 crystal plane spacing of 0.3355 nm. Moreover, when subjected to uncatalyzed graphitization, GPIF-2800 showed exceptional electromagnetic shielding performance, with an electromagnetic shielding efficiency (EMI SE) of 54.55 dB in the X-band frequency range (8–12 GHz). This research provides a straightforward and feasible strategy for developing bi-functional graphite foam materials, suitable for both heat dissipation and EMI shielding in advanced electronic devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111478"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145749194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-27DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111502
Ryuto Sano , Yuta Koga , Imaru Sumi , Atsushi Hosoi , Kota Kawahara , Hiroaki Matsutani , Hiroyuki Kawada
Carbon fiber-reinforced foams (CFRFs) are promising next-generation materials for lightweight structural applications, and elucidating its fatigue properties is essential for practical implementation. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the fatigue fracture mechanism of CFRFs and predict their fatigue life. Damage progression during fatigue tests was observed using a hybrid nondestructive testing (NDT) method combining digital image correlation (DIC), acoustic emission, and infrared thermography (IRT). We have for the first time clarified the stepwise fatigue fracture mechanism of open-cell fiber-reinforced foams in which initial defects originating from fibers occur up to a fatigue life ratio of N/Nf = 0.2, causing localized damage progression, and once the fatigue life ratio exceeds N/Nf = 0.8, resin failure at the fiber nodal points occurs, leading to fracture. Furthermore, the damage mechanics model was applied to CFRFs to predict fatigue life. Material parameters were calibrated based on damage dissipation calculated by subtracting the effect of heat dissipation obtained via the IRT method from the hysteresis loss obtained via the DIC method. This represents a novel approach bridging experimental results from NDT methods and damage mechanics models. Using the obtained parameters we successfully achieve fatigue life predictions within 95 % confidence limits for 103 cycles or more. This study provides detailed fatigue properties for open-cell fiber-reinforced foams and contributes to the advancement of fatigue life prediction techniques combining NDT methods and damage mechanics.
{"title":"Evaluation of fatigue fracture mechanism of carbon fiber-reinforced foams using nondestructive testing and fatigue life prediction using damage mechanics","authors":"Ryuto Sano , Yuta Koga , Imaru Sumi , Atsushi Hosoi , Kota Kawahara , Hiroaki Matsutani , Hiroyuki Kawada","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111502","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111502","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon fiber-reinforced foams (CFRFs) are promising next-generation materials for lightweight structural applications, and elucidating its fatigue properties is essential for practical implementation. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the fatigue fracture mechanism of CFRFs and predict their fatigue life. Damage progression during fatigue tests was observed using a hybrid nondestructive testing (NDT) method combining digital image correlation (DIC), acoustic emission, and infrared thermography (IRT). We have for the first time clarified the stepwise fatigue fracture mechanism of open-cell fiber-reinforced foams in which initial defects originating from fibers occur up to a fatigue life ratio of <em>N</em>/<em>N</em><sub>f</sub> = 0.2, causing localized damage progression, and once the fatigue life ratio exceeds <em>N</em>/<em>N</em><sub>f</sub> = 0.8, resin failure at the fiber nodal points occurs, leading to fracture. Furthermore, the damage mechanics model was applied to CFRFs to predict fatigue life. Material parameters were calibrated based on damage dissipation calculated by subtracting the effect of heat dissipation obtained via the IRT method from the hysteresis loss obtained via the DIC method. This represents a novel approach bridging experimental results from NDT methods and damage mechanics models. Using the obtained parameters we successfully achieve fatigue life predictions within 95 % confidence limits for 10<sup>3</sup> cycles or more. This study provides detailed fatigue properties for open-cell fiber-reinforced foams and contributes to the advancement of fatigue life prediction techniques combining NDT methods and damage mechanics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111502"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111465
Wenting Ouyang , Jiafan Feng , Lei Yan , Tingting Wang , Huan Wang , Bowen Gong , Xiang Gao , Hua-Xin Peng
The Bouligand architecture found in various crustacean exoskeletons was an essential feature for organisms to resist external loads, and further microscopic observations indicate that the helicoidal pitches in the exoskeleton tend to be arranged in a gradient pattern to achieve excellent damage tolerance. Inspired by such structural gradient phenomenon, multiple helicoidal units with different rotation angles are introduced for regional configuration design of the composite laminates. By mimicking the gradient-helicoidal microstructures and conducting experimental characterization, this work demonstrates that the unidirectional gradient-helicoidal design schemes, including two mutually inverted structural configurations (denoted as GH-I and GH-II), exhibit a compromise in terms of bending force and energy dissipation compared to the traditional uniform-helicoidal controls. Notably, the symmetrical gradient-helicoidal configuration (denoted as GH-III) with the same structural parameters achieves superior mechanical properties, increasing load-bearing capacity by 6 %–64 % and energy dissipation by 37 %–59 % over benchmarks. The parametric analysis of biomimetic GH-III configurations further reveals that configuring larger rotation angles on the external sides and arranging a smaller rotation angle on the inner side is an effective optimization strategy. It successfully resists the damage initiation that usually occurs on the external sides and introduces matrix cracks into the internal side for stable twisting diffusion, fully exploiting the synergistic benefits of different structural parameters in terms of damage resistance and damage tolerance. Therefore, these findings have practical implications for bionic design and fabrication, providing inspiration for composite laminates with improved mechanical properties.
{"title":"Symmetrical gradient design of helicoidal composite laminates for enhanced damage tolerance","authors":"Wenting Ouyang , Jiafan Feng , Lei Yan , Tingting Wang , Huan Wang , Bowen Gong , Xiang Gao , Hua-Xin Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Bouligand architecture found in various crustacean exoskeletons was an essential feature for organisms to resist external loads, and further microscopic observations indicate that the helicoidal pitches in the exoskeleton tend to be arranged in a gradient pattern to achieve excellent damage tolerance. Inspired by such structural gradient phenomenon, multiple helicoidal units with different rotation angles are introduced for regional configuration design of the composite laminates. By mimicking the gradient-helicoidal microstructures and conducting experimental characterization, this work demonstrates that the unidirectional gradient-helicoidal design schemes, including two mutually inverted structural configurations (denoted as GH-I and GH-II), exhibit a compromise in terms of bending force and energy dissipation compared to the traditional uniform-helicoidal controls. Notably, the symmetrical gradient-helicoidal configuration (denoted as GH-III) with the same structural parameters achieves superior mechanical properties, increasing load-bearing capacity by 6 %–64 % and energy dissipation by 37 %–59 % over benchmarks. The parametric analysis of biomimetic GH-III configurations further reveals that configuring larger rotation angles on the external sides and arranging a smaller rotation angle on the inner side is an effective optimization strategy. It successfully resists the damage initiation that usually occurs on the external sides and introduces matrix cracks into the internal side for stable twisting diffusion, fully exploiting the synergistic benefits of different structural parameters in terms of damage resistance and damage tolerance. Therefore, these findings have practical implications for bionic design and fabrication, providing inspiration for composite laminates with improved mechanical properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111465"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-01DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111470
Pragti Saini , Amit Choudhari , Sampat Singh Bhati , Dharm Dutt , Stephane Le Calve
The recycling of post-consumer polypropylene (PCR-PP) is hindered by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and unpleasant odors, which limit its use in high-value products. This study presents a novel zeolite-based strategy for upcycling PCR-PP, where zeolite 13X was incorporated (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt%) during extrusion and injection molding. Comprehensive characterization, including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, sensory evaluation, and hedonic tone analysis, confirmed significant VOC adsorption and odor suppression, with 1.0 wt% zeolite achieving the most balanced performance. Mechanical testing revealed enhanced stiffness and flexural strength (up to 43.48 MPa), while Izod impact results demonstrated improved toughness at higher loadings. Thermal analyses (DSC, TGA) indicated increased crystallinity and improved thermal stability at moderate zeolite contents, with SEM and XRD confirming optimal dispersion at 0.5–1.0 wt%. Collectively, these findings highlight that zeolite incorporation not only mitigates VOC emissions but also enhances the multifunctional properties of PCR-PP composites. This scalable and cost-effective approach enables the conversion of plastic waste into high-performance, environmentally friendly materials suitable for structural, packaging, and consumer applications. The proposed method provides a promising pathway toward sustainable polymer recycling and circular economy goals.
{"title":"Innovative zeolite-based approach for reducing VOCs and odors in post-consumer recycled polypropylene","authors":"Pragti Saini , Amit Choudhari , Sampat Singh Bhati , Dharm Dutt , Stephane Le Calve","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111470","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111470","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The recycling of post-consumer polypropylene (PCR-PP) is hindered by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and unpleasant odors, which limit its use in high-value products. This study presents a novel zeolite-based strategy for upcycling PCR-PP, where zeolite 13X was incorporated (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt%) during extrusion and injection molding. Comprehensive characterization, including gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, sensory evaluation, and hedonic tone analysis, confirmed significant VOC adsorption and odor suppression, with 1.0 wt% zeolite achieving the most balanced performance. Mechanical testing revealed enhanced stiffness and flexural strength (up to 43.48 MPa), while Izod impact results demonstrated improved toughness at higher loadings. Thermal analyses (DSC, TGA) indicated increased crystallinity and improved thermal stability at moderate zeolite contents, with SEM and XRD confirming optimal dispersion at 0.5–1.0 wt%. Collectively, these findings highlight that zeolite incorporation not only mitigates VOC emissions but also enhances the multifunctional properties of PCR-PP composites. This scalable and cost-effective approach enables the conversion of plastic waste into high-performance, environmentally friendly materials suitable for structural, packaging, and consumer applications. The proposed method provides a promising pathway toward sustainable polymer recycling and circular economy goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111470"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145651836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-25DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111497
Shiping Song , Jiayi Fan , Ziyin Dai , Shuai Zhao , Weiqiang Song , Chong Zhang , Fei Peng
Owing to the distinctive stress-electricity response characteristics, piezoelectric devices are attracting tremendous interest to meet the growing demand for autonomous and interactive technologies. However, the limited structural forms and low energy conversion efficiency have severely restricted performance enhancement and application prospects of the devices. Herein, we developed a series of novel poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/graphene (GP) porous piezoelectric devices with coral reef structure features by combining template-leaching methodology with functional doping strategies. Through theoretical analysis and simulation studies, the enhancement mechanisms of macroscopic porous structures and microscopic interface interactions on piezoelectric performance were successfully established. With the dual advantages of improved charge conductivity and stress response, the optimized porous piezoelectric devices demonstrated 460 % and 136.4 % increases in open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current compared to pure PVDF solid molded devices. Moreover, the devices also exhibited remarkable piezoelectric responsiveness and power supply efficiency across various stress modes, along with promising potential in combination lock systems. This work not only contributed a novel strategy for the design of advanced piezoelectric devices, but also significantly expanded the potential application scenarios and implementation approaches.
{"title":"Bioinspired coral-reef PVDF/graphene porous piezoelectric devices with enhanced output performances: Role of macroscopic architectures and microscopic interface coupling","authors":"Shiping Song , Jiayi Fan , Ziyin Dai , Shuai Zhao , Weiqiang Song , Chong Zhang , Fei Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Owing to the distinctive stress-electricity response characteristics, piezoelectric devices are attracting tremendous interest to meet the growing demand for autonomous and interactive technologies. However, the limited structural forms and low energy conversion efficiency have severely restricted performance enhancement and application prospects of the devices. Herein, we developed a series of novel poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/graphene (GP) porous piezoelectric devices with coral reef structure features by combining template-leaching methodology with functional doping strategies. Through theoretical analysis and simulation studies, the enhancement mechanisms of macroscopic porous structures and microscopic interface interactions on piezoelectric performance were successfully established. With the dual advantages of improved charge conductivity and stress response, the optimized porous piezoelectric devices demonstrated 460 % and 136.4 % increases in open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current compared to pure PVDF solid molded devices. Moreover, the devices also exhibited remarkable piezoelectric responsiveness and power supply efficiency across various stress modes, along with promising potential in combination lock systems. This work not only contributed a novel strategy for the design of advanced piezoelectric devices, but also significantly expanded the potential application scenarios and implementation approaches.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111497"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-19DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111493
Shahed Ekbatani , Yushen Wang , Dimitrios G. Papageorgiou , Han Zhang
Binderless natural fibre composites are attractive for circular manufacturing since the removal of a synthetic matrix improves recyclability and end-of-life processing. However, their applications are often constrained by weak interfacial bonding and limited mechanical performance. This study presents a scalable approach to strengthen binderless luffa fibre composites by combining localised surface reinforcement with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and tailored wet processing conditions. CNCs were introduced by immersing luffa layers in a CNC suspension, enabling diffusion into the porous network and subsequent accumulation at fibre-fibre contact regions during hot pressing, resulting in localised interfacial reinforcement. The process exploits the self-bonding of lignocellulosic fibres under controlled moisture and elevated temperature to mobilise lignin and promote hydrogen bonding. Compared to neat luffa panels, a 280 % increase in peel strength and a 49 % improvement in interlaminar shear strength (from 2.47 to 3.68 MPa) were obtained, alongside substantial improvements in flexural strength and modulus. CNCs further improved interfacial interactions, with FTIR evidences reconfiguration of O–H hydrogen bonding interactions under wet CNC processing, while DSC and TGA confirm reduced chain mobility (higher Tg) and delayed thermal decomposition. The synergistic effects of CNC integration and optimised processing parameters provide a scalable route to high-performance environmentally friendly natural fibre composites without synthetic binders.
{"title":"Binderless hierarchical natural fibre composites with localised cellulose nanocrystals and tailored wet processing for improved mechanical and thermal properties","authors":"Shahed Ekbatani , Yushen Wang , Dimitrios G. Papageorgiou , Han Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111493","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111493","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Binderless natural fibre composites are attractive for circular manufacturing since the removal of a synthetic matrix improves recyclability and end-of-life processing. However, their applications are often constrained by weak interfacial bonding and limited mechanical performance. This study presents a scalable approach to strengthen binderless luffa fibre composites by combining localised surface reinforcement with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and tailored wet processing conditions. CNCs were introduced by immersing luffa layers in a CNC suspension, enabling diffusion into the porous network and subsequent accumulation at fibre-fibre contact regions during hot pressing, resulting in localised interfacial reinforcement. The process exploits the self-bonding of lignocellulosic fibres under controlled moisture and elevated temperature to mobilise lignin and promote hydrogen bonding. Compared to neat luffa panels, a 280 % increase in peel strength and a 49 % improvement in interlaminar shear strength (from 2.47 to 3.68 MPa) were obtained, alongside substantial improvements in flexural strength and modulus. CNCs further improved interfacial interactions, with FTIR evidences reconfiguration of O–H hydrogen bonding interactions under wet CNC processing, while DSC and TGA confirm reduced chain mobility (higher Tg) and delayed thermal decomposition. The synergistic effects of CNC integration and optimised processing parameters provide a scalable route to high-performance environmentally friendly natural fibre composites without synthetic binders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":283,"journal":{"name":"Composites Science and Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 111493"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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