Polymers, polymer-like materials, as well as adhesives and polymer composites, are ubiquitous in the real life and are conveniently and easily used in different applications, ranging from engineering to biomedical fields. Moreover, many biological tissues and biomaterials have a polymeric-like microstructure, and the comprehension of their responses, as well as of the degrading phenomena, can take advantage of the mechanics-based damage occurring in polymers, leading to a deeper knowledge of their functionalities and stimuli-responsive adaptability. Polymeric nanocomposites, obtained by adding nanofillers to a polymer with the aim to enhance some mechanical property of the matrix, are also of great interest in advanced applications and require a proper knowledge of the involved micromechanical aspects. Damage and failure mechanisms taking place in all the above mentioned materials are far to be fully understood, because of their complex microstructure, highly mechanical nonlinear response, large deformation and strain-rate effects, influence of environmental factors (temperature, chemical degradation, etc.). The aim of this Special Issue is to gather the latest researches in the field, especially those dealing with the theoretical, numerical and experimental study of damage and failure in polymers and polymer-like materials (biomaterials), adhesives and polymers nanocomposites, all of them being characterized by a complex, entangled, amorphous network-like microstructure. In particular, the Special Issue is devoted, but not limited, to the following aspects: Damage and failure due to static or repeated mechanical actions, delamination, void growth, thermal or chemical actions, environmental degradation, strain rate effects, etc. Of particular interest to the Special Issue will be the microscale and multiscale approaches to the above mentioned aspects; the goal is to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive overview on the problem of assessment and prediction of damage and failure and on the mitigation (repair and healing) of their effects in polymers, polymer-like materials, adhesives and polymers nanocomposites.
Keywords: Polymers, polymer-like materials; Adhesives; Polymer nanocomposites; Damage; Failure; Fracture; Material repair and healing; Micromechanics modelling.