SELF-REINFORCED COMPOSITES: MATERIALS, PROCESSING, PROPERTIES, AND EMERGING APPLICATIONS – A REVIEW

Self-reinforced composites (SRCs), also termed single-polymer composites, are engineered so that the reinforcing phase and matrix belong to the same polymer family. By eliminating chemical mismatch at the interface, SRCs typically show improved interfacial integrity, low density, and high impact tolerance while remaining compatible with single-stream recycling. Recent work (2020–2025) has emphasized processing control, bio-based SRC platforms, and microstructure-driven property tailoring."This review provides a comprehensive discussion of SRC fundamentals, fabrication strategies, structure–property relationships, environmental advantages, application sectors, and future research directions.