Artificial Intelligence for Polymer and Nanocomposite Materials: Performance Prediction, Manufacturing Optimization, and Future Perspectives

Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | Special Issue 04 | Page : 579 602
By

V. Parimala,

K. Sudhakar,

S. Bhuvana,

Praveen Talari,

D. Ruban Thomas,

S. Sivasankaran,

S. Palpandi,

  1. Assistant Professor, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Chennai Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  2. Associate Professor, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  3. Assistant Professor (Senior Grade), Department of Cyber Security, Rajalakshmi Engineering College, Thandalam, Tamil Nadu, India
  4. Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning), Vignana Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
  5. Assistant Professor, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Vel Tech Multi Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sakunthala Engineering College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  6. Professor, Department of Information Technology, Raak College of Engineering and Technology, G.N Palayam, Puducherry, India
  7. Assistant Professor (Senior Grade), Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

The exceptional mechanical properties, design flexibility, and lightweight nature of polymer composite and nanocomposite materials make them indispensable in a wide range of applications, including aerospace, automotive, construction, biomedical, and energy sectors. The optimization of the strength, durability, and manufacturing efficiency of polymer composite and nanocomposite materials is highly challenging because their performance depends on matrix composition, reinforcement type, fiber or nanoparticle distribution, interfacial interactions, processing conditions, and environmental factors. Conventional optimization approaches require extensive experimentation, computational resources, and development time, leading to increased cost and reduced efficiency. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have enabled innovative data-driven approaches for improving the performance, design, and manufacturing of polymer composite and nanocomposite materials. Machine learning, deep learning, and predictive analytics are employed to model complex nonlinear relationships among material composition, processing parameters, and performance characteristics using large-scale material datasets. The proposed AI-driven framework accurately predicts key material properties, including mechanical strength, fatigue resistance, thermal stability, and long-term durability, while simultaneously optimizing curing conditions, manufacturing processes, material utilization, and defect detection. Furthermore, AI-assisted optimization shortens material design cycles, enhances production monitoring, minimizes manufacturing costs, and improves product reliability. The integration of artificial intelligence with polymer composite and nanocomposite engineering accelerates the discovery of advanced materials and supports the development of sustainable, lightweight, and high-performance composite systems. Overall, AI-driven methodologies significantly enhance the structural performance, durability, and manufacturing efficiency of next-generation polymer composite and nanocomposite materials, making them promising candidates for future engineering applications.

Keywords: Polymer nanocomposites, performance optimization, mechanical strength, durability, manufacturing efficiency, predictive analytics, material engineering.

[This article belongs to Special Issue under section in Journal of Polymer & Composites (jopc)]

How to cite this article: V. Parimala, K. Sudhakar, S. Bhuvana, Praveen Talari, D. Ruban Thomas, S. Sivasankaran, S. Palpandi. Artificial Intelligence for Polymer and Nanocomposite Materials: Performance Prediction, Manufacturing Optimization, and Future Perspectives. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(04):579-602.
How to cite this URL: V. Parimala, K. Sudhakar, S. Bhuvana, Praveen Talari, D. Ruban Thomas, S. Sivasankaran, S. Palpandi. Artificial Intelligence for Polymer and Nanocomposite Materials: Performance Prediction, Manufacturing Optimization, and Future Perspectives. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(04):579-602. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=253366

References

1. Bukvić M, Milojević S, Gajević S, Đorđević M, Stojanović B. Production technologies and application of polymer composites in engineering: A review. Polymers. 2025;17(16):2187.
2. Temesgen AG, Kaufmann J, Cebulla H. Mechanical performance of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites with critical assessment of recent advances and future perspectives. Discover Materials. 2026 May 19.
3. Phiri R, Rangappa SM, Siengchin S, Oladijo OP, Ozbakkaloglu T. Advances in lightweight composite structures and manufacturing technologies: A Comprehensive review. Heliyon. 2024 Nov 15;10(21):e396_M.
4. Ravichandran G, Ramasamy K, Manickaraj K, Kalidas S, Jayamani M, Mausam K, et al. Effect of Sal wood and Babool sawdust fillers on the mechanical properties of snake grass fiber-reinforced polyester composites. BioResources. 2025;20(4):8674–8694.
5. Kar, Saikia D, Palanisamy S, Pandiarajan N. Effect of fiber loading on the mechanical, morphological, and dynamic mechanical characteristics of Calamus tenuis fiber reinforced epoxy composites. J Vinyl Addit Technol. 2025;31(1):224–240.
6. Pandiarajan P, Baskaran PG, Palanisamy S, Karuppusamy M, Marimuthu K, Rajan A, et al. Enhancing polyester composites with nano Aristida hystrix fibers: Mechanical and microstructural insights. BioResources. 2025;20(4):9257–9281.
7. Kender Š, Brezinová J, Novotný Š, Bejdová P. Effects of fiber orientation, thermal post-curing, and corrosive environment on the mechanical properties of CFRP laminates. Polymers. 2026;18(11):1270.
8. Khosravi M, Zare Z, Mojtabaeian SM, Izadi R. Artificial intelligence and decision-making in healthcare: A Thematic analysis of a systematic review of reviews. Health Serv Res Manag Epidemiol. 2024 Mar;11:23333928241234863.
9. Gowda HS, Raju H, Kumar VP, Bharat PB, Suresha B, Bhat SK. A review of recent machine learning advances for predicting and optimizing mechanical and tribological properties of fiber-reinforced thermoset polymer nanocomposites. Discov Appl Sci. 2026 Apr 16.
10. Sorour SS, Saleh CA, Shazly M. A review on machine learning implementation for predicting and optimizing the mechanical behaviour of laminated fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Heliyon. 2024 Jul 15;10(13):e33588.
11. Gyabaah KY, Mahoney B, Martey AK, Yan C, Mensah P, Li G. Machine learning-assisted polymer and polymer composite design for additive manufacturing. AI Mater. 2026;1(1):2.
12. Karuppusamy M, Kalidas S, Palanisamy S, Nataraj K, Nandagopal RK, Natarajan R, et al. Real-time monitoring in polymer composites: Internet of Things integration for enhanced performance and sustainability—A review. BioResources. 2025;20(3):8093–8118.
13. Palanisamy S, Murugesan TM, Palaniappan M, Santulli C, Ayrilmis N. Use of hemp waste for the development of mycelium-grown matrix biocomposites: A concise bibliographic review. BioResources. 2023;18(4):8771–8780.
14. Kaliyev, Yessengabylov I, Kyrykbayeva A, Zholdassova S, Kharmyssov C, Temirkhan M. High-performance composite gears: A systematic review of materials, processing, and performance. J Compos Sci. 2026;10(4):195.
15. Bukvić M, Milojević S, Gajević S, Đorđević M, Stojanović B. Production technologies and application of polymer composites in engineering: A review. Polymers. 2025;17(16):2187.
16. Fianko SK, Nooni IK, Dzogbewu T, Agbemava E, de Beer DJ. AI as an enabler of sustainable additive manufacturing: Environmental impact and circular design. Int J Adv Manuf Technol. 2026 Apr;143(7):3531–50.
17. Agrawal K, Goktas P, Holtkemper M, Beecks C, Kumar N. AI-driven transformation in food manufacturing: A Pathway to sustainable efficiency and quality assurance. Front Nutr. 2025 Mar 13;12:1553942.
18. Chang BP, Mohanty AK, Misra M. Studies on durability of sustainable biobased composites: A review. RSC Adv. 2020;10(31):17955–17999.
19. Starkova O, Gagani AI, Karl CW, Rocha IBCM, Burlakovs J, Krauklis AE. Modelling of environmental ageing of polymers and polymer composites—Durability prediction methods. Polymers. 2022;14(5):907.
20. Govindarajan PR, Shanmugavel R, Subramanian K, Palanisamy S, Santulli C, Fragassa C. Effect of stacking sequence on mechanical and water absorption characteristics of jute/banana/basalt fabric aluminium fibre laminates with diamond microexpanded mesh. Int J Polym Sci. 2024;2024(1):3835788.
21. Zaman S, Mahmud MS, Mollick AA, Lhaden T, Dantzler J, Arroyo S, et al. Artificial intelligence in additive Manufacturing: Advances in smart materials, lattice optimization, and process intelligence. Int J Adv Manuf Technol. 2026 Apr 18:1–55.
22. Kim MO. AI-driven polymeric coatings: Strategies for material selection and performance evaluation in structural applications. Polymers. 2026;18(1):5.
23. Long T, Pang Q, Deng Y, Pang X, Zhang Y, Yang R, et al. Recent progress of artificial intelligence application in polymer materials. Polymers. 2025;17(12):1667.
24. Uddin MH, Mulla MH, Abedin T, Manap A, Yap BK, Rajamony RK, et al. Advances in natural fiber polymer and PLA composites through artificial intelligence and machine learning integration. J Polym Res. 2025 Mar;32(3):76.
25. Yang F, Wen C, Zhu S, Feng Y, Ye Z, Peng H, et al. Machine learning model of plant fiber/PLA composite: Prediction and analysis of mechanical strength. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf. 2025;199:109201. doi: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2025.109201.
26. Ratchagar V, Thangeeswari T, Muniyappan A. Investigation of glucose biosensors by non-enzymatic photoluminescent detection using oleic acid treated Ag2S nanoparticles. Mater Chem Phys. 2024 Apr 1;316:129116.
27. Müzel SD, Bonhin EP, Guimarães NM, Guidi ES. Application of the finite element method in the analysis of composite materials: A review. Polymers. 2020;12(4):818.
28. Bai X, Zhang X. Artificial intelligence-powered materials science. Nano Micro Lett. 2025;17(1):135.
29. Guido R, Ferrisi S, Lofaro D, Conforti D. An overview on the advancements of support vector machine models in healthcare applications: A review. Information. 2024;15(4):235.
30. Salah Al-Shati A, Mohammed TJ. Machine learning analysis based on deep learning for fatigue diagnostics in carbon fiber reinforced polymers. PLoS One. 2026 Jan 9;21(1):e0340904.
31. Sharma H, Arora G, Singh MK, Ayyappan V, Bhowmik P, Rangappa SM, et al. Review of machine learning approaches for predicting mechanical behavior of composite materials. Discov Appl Sci. 2025 Oct 17;7(11):1238.
32. Pelin G, Sonmez M, Pelin CE. The use of additive manufacturing techniques in the development of polymeric molds: A review. Polymers. 2024;16(8):1055.
33. Malashin, Masich I, Tynchenko V, Gantimurov A, Nelyub V, Borodulin A, et al. Machine learning in 3D and 4D printing of polymer composites: A review. Polymers. 2024;16(22):3125.
34. Rakholia R, Suárez-Cetrulo AL, Singh M, Carbajo RS. Integrating AI and IoT for predictive maintenance in Industry 4.0 manufacturing environments: A practical approach. Information. 2025;16(9):737.
35. Kodumuru R, Sarkar S, Parepally V, Chandarana J. Artificial intelligence and Internet of Things integration in pharmaceutical manufacturing: A smart synergy. Pharmaceutics. 2025;17(3):290.
36. Pavlovic, Valzania L, Minak G. Effects of moisture absorption on the mechanical and fatigue properties of natural fiber composites: A review. Polymers. 2025;17(14):1996.
37. Ferreira Rocha PR, Gonçalves GF, dos Reis G, Guedes RM. Mechanisms of component degradation and multi-scale strategies for predicting composite durability: Present and future perspectives. J Compos Sci. 2024;8(6):204.


Special Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
Special Issue 04
Received 03/08/2026
Accepted 20/08/2026
Published 26/08/2026
Publication Time 23 Days


Login

My IP

PlumX Metrics

Support