Aims & Scope

Aims

Polymer Design for Advanced Applications (PDAA) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal published quarterly online by Scilight Press. The rationale of the journal is funded on the necessity to change the paradigm in the design of the (bio)polymers. This publishing platform would dream of being a stimulating crossing place for contributors designing new materials based on polymers. The claimed originality consists in highlighting the methodologies and strategies for designing the polymers for target applications based on enhanced properties (functional, mechanical, stability, etc.). The challenge consists in focusing on the bijective relationship between enhanced property and polymer design: this means illustrating both top-down and bottom-up strategies for justifying and explaining the methods of design for reaching target properties and performance.

To reach this objective, this new journal welcomes both Review papers and more conventional contributions illustrating the methods that drove the design of polymers for reaching enhanced performances for the development of advanced applications. To contribute to the spreading of this methodological knowledge, the contributions should be “centrally” built around the justification of the design process. Hence, this will help the readership to adapt and generalize the methods for other polymers, properties, and applications. A space will be opened for contributions enlightening new challenges.

Scope

The journal publishes articles that focus on, but are not limited to, the following areas:

Polymer design strategies based on chemical, physicochemical or physical methods:

1. synthesis of new building blocks and polymers;
2. functionalization of various surfaces including (nano)particles and fibers;
3. design of macromolecular architecture;
4. control of the morphology of composites and polymer blends (including through advanced processing technologies);
5. the shaping of complex objects (such as aerogels).

Design of performance-enhanced polymer: Enhancement of polymers for properties such as: 

1. flame retardancy;
2. hydro/oleophobicity;
3. heat or electrical insulation or conductivity;
4. sound absorption;
5. decontamination (including sorption processes);
6. catalytic activity;
7. optical transparency;
8. mechanical behavior.

Design of polymers in different forms or composite materials: Due to their capacity to be shaped and conditioned under different forms (membranes and films, foams and sponges, beads and powder), their ability to be readily associated with other materials (blending, charge incorporation, composites, etc.), and their faculty to be chemically engineered (chemical and physical grafting), polymers offer a broad range of opportunities for improving the properties and performances of materials and processes for the 21st Century.

Green chemistry in polymer science: Sustainable development of polymers for an Industry respectful of resources, environment and future naturally opens increasing interest to biopolymers and renewable resources; however, the smart use of synthetic polymers (but also the “intelligent” recycling of polymers) may also contribute to facing this important challenge. To meet the requirements of sustainable development, these materials must also respect principles of green chemistry, such as the atom economy or the use of renewable feedstocks. For all these reasons, a well-thought-out and accurately controlled design of materials at different scales is mandatory.

Industrial Applications of Polymers: Polymers in the manufacturing of:

1. building and environmental equipment;
2. biomedical systems;
3. optics and electronics devices;
4. energy tools;
5. textiles.