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In light of the ever‐increasing demand for lightweight materials suitable for heat transport applications, many efforts are devoted to enhancing the thermal properties of polymer‐based nanocomposites via nanofillers. In the present study, nanocomposites based on epoxy resin, including 3 wt% of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), are prepared and then thermally characterized. More in detail, it is investigated the temperature increase over time, due to the Joule heating effect, when different voltage values (70, 80, and 90 V) are applied to the specimens. These experimental measures validate a simulation study performed with commercial software (COMSOL Multiphysics®), which allows the investigation of several thermal aspects of the Joule heating. A perfect agreement between experimental and modeling data is found. This means that, in support of experimental activities, modern computational methods can add knowledge in materials science to discover new advanced materials or investigate the existing ones in depth. The present case study examines the potential use of nano‐reinforced polymeric materials for thermal applications involving the Joule effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their remarkable intrinsic physical properties, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can enhance mechanical properties and confer electrical and thermal conductivity to polymers currently being investigated for use in advanced applications based on thermal management. An epoxy resin filled with varying concentrations of CNTs (up to 3 wt%) was produced and experimentally characterized. The electrical percolation curve identified the following two critical filler concentrations: 0.5 wt%, which is near the electrical percolation threshold (EPT) and suitable for exploring mechanical and piezoresistive properties, and 3 wt% for investigating thermo-electric properties due to the Joule effect with applied voltages ranging from 70 V to 200 V. Near the electrical percolation threshold (EPT), the CNT concentration in epoxy composites forms a sparse, sensitive network ideal for deformation sensing due to significant changes in electrical resistance under strain. Above the EPT, a denser CNT network enhances electrical and thermal conductivity, making it suitable for Joule heating applications. Numerical models were developed using multiphysics simulation software. Once the models have been validated with experimental data, as a perfect agreement is found between numerical and experimental results, a simulation study is performed to investigate additional physical properties of the composites. Furthermore, a statistical approach based on the design of experiments (DoE) was employed to examine the influence of certain thermal parameters on the final performance of the materials. The purpose of this research is to promote the use of contemporary statistical and computational techniques alongside experimental methods to enhance understanding of materials science. New materials can be identified through these integrated approaches, or existing ones can be more thoroughly examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study analyzes the possibility of determining the drug location in electrospun polymeric matrices and forecasting the release kinetics of drug delivery systems. Electrospun membranes made of polycaprolactone (PCL) loaded with dacarbazine (the drug of choice for the treatment of melanoma) and with AuM1 (a promising synthetic Au‐based complex recently proposed for antitumoral treatments) are successfully prepared. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis is performed on various membranes, highlighting the relevance of investigating the three‐dimensional topology of the membranes for understanding the release kinetic. The produced mats are similar for all membranes, but significant differences in the microscopic roughness wall between the systems loaded with AuM1 and dacarbazine are observed. For AuM1, which has a low affinity with the PCL matrix, the complex aggregates on the nanofibers' external walls, consequently increasing the roughness and causing a high burst in the first hours of release. On the other hand, dacarbazine is successfully included in the bulk core of the PCL nanofibers. Thus, the release kinetics is diffusive and well described by the Fick model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing (AM) is an innovative production process that allows for designing objects with self‐responsive properties exploiting the potentialities of nanotechnologies. In this context, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filled with multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) is printed via fusion deposition modeling (FDM) by setting two different printing directions, 0° and 90°. The investigation of the electrical properties of 3D printed parts demonstrates that the printing direction affects the pathway of electrical current flow and, consequently, the heating performance. A suitable setting of the raster angle allows the alignment of the carbon nanotubes along the printing direction. This alignment, verified through morphological investigations, strongly influences the heating properties due to the Joule effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epoxy resin based on carbon nanotubes with heating properties is studied to tune its heating performance by changing the applied voltage value. The developed self‐heating device, able to heat to high temperatures in a short time, can be applied in various areas. The electro‐thermal investigation shows the presence of both positive temperature coefficient (PTC) and negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behaviors with a predominance of NTC trend neat to the glass transition temperature of the epoxy matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]