Special issue: polymers for defense

Abstract

Polymeric materials play a significant role in the realm of national defense and encompass a very broad and diverse application space. Technology drivers are primarily motivated by needs in the US Army, Navy, and Air Force and have significant overlap with aerospace, power and energy, homeland security and antiterrorism. The applications in defense that utilize polymers as key components are too numerous to list, but the following areas represent the wide-ranging impact: body and vehicle armor, protective coatings, high-temperature materials, additive manufacturing, detection and decontamination of chemical and biological threats, and armor and ammunition qualification. The objective of this special issue is to highlight the broad spectrum of research being conducted in support of national defense in the United States within both government and academic laboratories and the challenges facing future forces. In this editorial, the material challenges and key technology drivers for each service are highlighted with the intent to stimulate further thinking and investment in the areas and foster stronger collaborative ties among the various laboratories involved.The Navy experiences one of the most challenging environments that includes high solar, extreme humidity, marine sea water, salt spray, rain, sleet, hail, wind, and snow. The Navy must utilize all materials at its disposal to effectively survive and operate under these extreme conditions. Polymer coatings play a dominant role in the ability of Navy vessels, aircraft, and vehicles to maintain mission readiness. The key areas that affect the ability

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“…For example, Roger Hiorns, who has remained a steadfast voice for our Journal, has assembled a comprehensive review on Materials and Modelling for Organic Photovoltaic Devices, 1 and Ludin et al 2 have recently described a new synthetic pathway for the controlled synthesis of biodegradable polylactide block copolymers. Furthermore, recent exciting special issues include Sustainability, Polymers for Defense, 3 and High-Performance Poly (arylene ether ketones) (PAEK): Recent Directions and Emerging Perspectives. 4 Thanks to our readership who recognize these valuable contributions and continue the virtual conversation with many Polymer International citations.…”