Events EMMC20Conference SymposiaS1: Mechanical behavior of polymers and biopolymers: theory, simulations and testing

S1: Mechanical behavior of polymers and biopolymers: theory, simulations and testing

 

 Giulia Scalet, University of Pavia, Italy, email

 Ameya Rege,  University of Twente, Netherlands, email

 

Symposium description

The mechanical behavior of polymers and biopolymers plays a pivotal role across a broad spectrum of application fields, ranging from aerospace and mechanical engineering to medicine and soft technologies. These materials exhibit complex mechanical responses that can be highly sensitive to their molecular architecture, environmental conditions, and processing history. In recent years, advances in polymer chemistry and fabrication techniques have enabled the creation of increasingly sophisticated systems, including smart and stimuli-responsive polymers, self-healing structures, and biodegradable biopolymers. Driven by the increasing demand for sustainability and circularity in materials development, the extraction of (bio)polymers from (bio)waste and the creation of novel architectured materials as alternatives to conventional plastics have garnered significant and rapidly growing interest. Understanding and predicting their mechanical behavior is essential not only for ensuring functionality and reliability, but also for unlocking new applications such as soft actuators, tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery systems, and adaptive materials for wearable or implantable devices, as well as applications in the automotive and aerospace industries

This Symposium welcomes Researchers and Scientists to present their work on the latest state-of-art developments on the understanding and exploitation of polymer and biopolymer mechanics. Contributions focusing on polymers and biopolymers with smart, functional, biodegradable, or self-healing features, as well as those on polymer and biopolymer hydrogels and aerogels are also encouraged.

Areas of interest will include, but will be not limited to:

• Constitutive modelling of polymers and biopolymers at different scales
• Computational simulation and discretization methods, including process modelling
• Topology and design optimization for polymer and biopolymer structures
• Data-driven approaches for polymers and biopolymers
• Computer-Aided Design for applications
• Additive Manufacturing and 4D Printing technologies for polymers and biopolymers
• Experimental characterization and validation methods
• Characterization and modeling of polymer and biopolymer failure and fracture
• Characterization and modeling of polymer and biopolymer hydrogels and aerogels