Polymer composites and self-healing
Polymer composites and self-healing is a research topic within Polymers and Plastics. Science Explorer counts 30k research works in it since 1950. 20.3% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers focuses on the development and applications of self-healing polymers, including shape memory polymers, composites, and thermoplastic elastomers. The research explores the use of renewable resources, supramolecular interactions, and dynamic covalent bonds to create biodegradable and malleable materials with enhanced properties. Topics also include vitrimers, microencapsulation for healing agents, and the thermal and mechanical behavior of these innovative polymer systems.
- Self-Healing
- Polymer Composites
- Shape Memory Polymers
- Renewable Resources
- Supramolecular Polymers
- Thermoplastic Elastomers
- Dynamic Covalent Bonds
- Biodegradable Polymers
- Vitrimers
- Microencapsulation
- Research works
- 30k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 6k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 20.3% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +49% the tick is no change
Which countries lead Polymer composites and self-healing research?
By volume, China and the United States publish the most (3.6k and 647 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 China 3.6k works
- 2 United States 647 works
- 3 India 472 works
- 4 France 209 works
- 5 South Korea 207 works
- 6 Japan 194 works
- 7 Iran 188 works
- 8 Germany 170 works
- 9 Türkiye 153 works
- 10 Italy 145 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead Polymer composites and self-healing research?
By volume in 2022–2025, Sichuan University publishes the most Polymer composites and self-healing research, followed by Beijing University of Chemical Technology and South China University of Technology.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 Sichuan UniversityChina 119 works
- 2 Beijing University of Chemical TechnologyChina 91 works
- 3 South China University of TechnologyChina 88 works
- 4 Qingdao University of Science and TechnologyChina 74 works
- 5 Harbin Institute of TechnologyChina 66 works
- 6 Nanjing Forestry UniversityChina 65 works
- 7 Chinese Academy of SciencesChina 64 works
- 8 Jiangnan UniversityChina 50 works
- 9 Donghua UniversityChina 47 works
- 10 Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityChina 46 works
Who are the leading researchers in Polymer composites and self-healing?
The most-cited researchers publishing on Polymer composites and self-healing include Ben Zhong Tang and Paul J. Flory.
- 1 Ben Zhong Tang Hong Kong 7k citations
- 2 Paul J. Flory United States 3.7k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is Polymer composites and self-healing research done?
The largest centres of Polymer composites and self-healing research in 2022–2025 are Beijing (China), Shanghai (China), Nanjing (China) and Xi'an (China). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Pittsburg.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
Where it is the local speciality
- PittsburgUS · 21.6 works126×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in Polymer composites and self-healing than the world average.
Where is the best place to study Polymer composites and self-healing?
Among universities, judged by research, Beijing Forestry University, Chang'an University and Sichuan University score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beijing Forestry UniversityChina | 70.2 | 46.7% | 12.3× | 27 | +94.4% |
| 2 | Chang'an UniversityChina | 68.5 | 36.7% | 12.3× | 35 | +120.8% |
| 3 | Sichuan UniversityChina | 66.6 | 29.8% | 9.3× | 119 | +44.4% |
| 4 | Changchun University of Technology?? | 65.6 | 29.7% | 31.5× | 28 | +397.4% |
| 5 | Nanjing Forestry UniversityChina | 63.6 | 26.8% | 18.7× | 65 | +54.7% |
| 6 | South China University of TechnologyChina | 63.4 | 30.2% | 10.7× | 88 | -15.8% |
| 7 | Jiangnan UniversityChina | 63.2 | 27.9% | 11.1× | 50 | +74.8% |
| 8 | Beijing University of Chemical TechnologyChina | 62.7 | 25.6% | 27.5× | 91 | +20.7% |
| 9 | South China Agricultural UniversityChina | 60.6 | 38.4% | 6.9× | 18 | +285.9% |
| 10 | Donghua UniversityChina | 59.4 | 29.4% | 17.0× | 47 | +4.3% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is Polymer composites and self-healing research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 49% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2025. The fastest-growing topics are Polymer composites and self-healing.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.