This in vitro study compared surface roughness (Ra) and CIEDE2000 color change (ΔE00) of two giomer flowables with surface pre-reacted glass-ionomer (S-PRG) filler, Beautifil Flow Plus F00 and Beautifil Flow Plus X F00, and two nanofill resin composites, Filtek Supreme Ultra Flowable and the packable Filtek Supreme Ultra Universal, during simulated toothbrushing. Ten discs per material were cured against glass without finishing or polishing and brushed for 10,000 linear cycles at 2.5 N. Ra and color were measured at baseline and every 2500 cycles; scanning electron microscopy illustrated the surfaces. Beautifil Flow Plus X became smoother after the first 2500 cycles (p ≤ 0.001), and no material became significantly rougher. At 10,000 cycles, Filtek Supreme Ultra Universal was rougher than the three flowables. ΔE00 differed among materials (p < 0.001) but not between intervals; Beautifil Flow Plus X changed the least (mean 0.408), less than Beautifil Flow Plus (0.886) and Filtek Supreme Ultra Universal (0.768), and no disc reached the 50:50% acceptability threshold of 1.8. Without an unbrushed control, ΔE00 reflects brushing, storage, and measurement combined. Under this protocol, Beautifil Flow Plus X became smoother and changed color the least.
Metal matrix composite coatings with polymer fillers are a rapidly developing class of multifunctional materials that combine the mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance of metals with the low coefficient of friction, chemical inertness, and functional versatility of polymers. This review provides a systematic analysis of metal matrix polymer composite (MMPC) coatings, covering their classification according to the metallic matrix material (Ni, Cu, Co, Al, Ti, and Zn), the type of polymer filler (fluoropolymers, thermosetting resins, biopolymers, and electrically conductive polymers), and filler morphology (particles, fibers, and microcapsules). The main fabrication technologies are considered in detail, including electrodeposition, electroless deposition, thermal spraying, and cold spray, as well as hybrid and additive methods, with a comparative analysis of their advantages, limitations, and fields of application. The effects of filler composition, particle size and concentration, and the nature of the metal–polymer interface on the structure and functional properties of the coatings are discussed, including tribological characteristics, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, and specific functionalities such as superhydrophobicity, anti-icing, biocompatibility, and self-healing. Unlike most existing reviews, which focus either on a single fabrication method, typically electrodeposition, or on a specific metal/polymer pair, this work provides a comprehensive cross-comparison of all key technologies, including hybrid approaches and additive manufacturing. The review also systematizes unresolved challenges, including weak adhesion at the metal/polymer interface, limitations in thermal resistance, difficulties in scaling up production, and the lack of standardized testing methods, while outlining promising directions such as nanostructured fillers, self-healing systems, and environmentally friendly manufacturing technologies. This review will be useful for materials scientists, process engineers, and surface engineering specialists working in mechanical engineering, aerospace, the oil and gas sector, medical device manufacturing, and electronics, as well as for researchers developing next-generation functional coatings. The work can serve as a guide for selecting optimal matrix/filler combinations and deposition methods for specific service conditions and as a starting point for designing MMPCs with a predefined combination of multifunctional properties.
Starch-based films containing natural antioxidants are of interest for active food packaging, but the combined effects of reinforcement, phenolic structure and radiation processing remain underexplored. Starch–poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films prepared from gamma-pre-irradiated starch, containing cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs, 1%), sodium alginate (5%) or both, and loaded with gallic acid (GA) or propyl gallate (PG), were irradiated with γ-rays or electron beams at 5 and 10 kGy. Tensile properties, swelling, solubility, insoluble fraction, contact angle, thermal behaviour, antioxidant capacity of ethanol extracts and gas evolution were measured. Formulation and additive effects were interdependent. PG increased tensile strength in the unfilled, alginate and CNC films (up to 16.88 ± 0.66 MPa for starch–PVA–alginate–PG), whereas the CNC/alginate/GA film combined 14.36 ± 0.61 MPa with an elongation at break of 506 ± 20%. CNC/alginate films had the highest insoluble fraction before irradiation (about 54%). Irradiation left tensile properties unchanged in most formulations but reduced the insoluble fraction by up to 24% in six of the eight films and lowered swelling mainly in CNC-containing films, indicating a net loss of retained material; crosslinking and chain scission were not measured directly. All films remained hydrophilic (contact angles 55–70°). The antioxidant capacity of the ethanol extracts changed little with irradiation, and H2 and O2 yields were higher in PG than in GA films. The mechanisms behind these observations were not tested. Barrier, migration, microstructural, biodegradation and food-preservation properties were not evaluated.
Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) injection molding produces elastomeric components with complex geometries and demanding functional requirements through coupled flow, heat transfer, and crosslinking. This review examines how formulation, processing conditions, and equipment operation jointly affect part quality. Literature was identified through Web of Science and Google Scholar searches and citation tracing, with no lower publication-year limit and a search cutoff of September 2026. Rheological behavior and curing kinetics underpin the discussion of material delivery, cavity filling, and demolding, alongside equipment technologies for metering, injection, thermal management, and process monitoring. Available evidence links processing history to shrinkage, surface replication, mechanical properties, and defects. Biomedical, optical, multi-material, and soft robotic applications illustrate how functional requirements guide manufacturing choices. Processing conditions influence multiple quality outcomes simultaneously, requiring their selection to account for formulation, geometry, and intended function. A key gap remains in linking process signals, independently characterized material states, and effective control actions across formulations and molds. Future priorities include material-state-based control, thermal efficiency, silicone reuse and recovery, and hybrid manufacturing. By relating equipment functions to material responses and measurable quality outcomes, this review supports application-specific selection of processing and evaluation methods.
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) enables direct, spatially resolved analysis of inorganic additives and impurities in rigid PVC, which is widely used in window profiles with demanding lifetime and recycling requirements. This study develops and validates a matrix-adapted LA-ICP-MS protocol for depth-resolved profiling of key additive elements (Ca, Mg, Al, Ti, Zn) and trace Fe in PVC window profiles and laboratory specimens. Laser fluence was optimized, and instrumental precision, positional variability, and ablation depth increments were quantified to ensure reproducible profiles over the first ~25 µm. Subsequently, the method was applied to pressed sheets, extruded belts, and window profiles. The last included samples produced under varying calibration vacuum and those subjected to xenon arc UV/water exposure. Extruded profiles exhibited denser, Zn- and TiO2-enriched, Fe-contaminated skin layers compared with laboratory specimens, while increasing calibration vacuum enhanced near-surface enrichment of several elements. Artificial weathering led to pronounced depth-resolved depletion of Ca, Mg, and Zn in the near-surface region, consistent with stabilizer consumption and leaching of soluble chlorides, whereas Al and Ti remained essentially constant. These results demonstrate that processing strongly shapes near-surface additive and impurity distribution in PVC profiles and that LA-ICP-MS provides a powerful tool to link depth-resolved inorganic composition to aging mechanisms and to assess the transferability of laboratory weathering results to real window profiles.
