Aqueous solutions of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were electrospun and its characteristics were studied as a function of applied potential, tip-target distance and solution flow rate. Solutions of PVA and chitosan were homogeneously mixed and electrospun to result in blend nanofibres and their properties were investigated. Conditions were revealed under which multiscale bi-modal fibres could be electrospun in a single step, producing structures that have potential applications in tissue engineering. Electrospun fibres having a bimodal size distribution of poly(caprolactone) (PCL) were also fabricated using a modified electrospinning setup. Nanofibrous microporous PVA scaffolds were fabricated using a cryogenic grinding method with subsequent compaction. Such multiscale porous structures would offer ideal matrices for tissue engineering applications.

Stealth or low observable technology has been one of the most critical requirements for military aviation sector to counter the ever‐advancing target detection technologies worldwide. Among many, Radar, which operates in the broadband spectrum, is one of the principal threats, which measures the radar cross section (RCS) of the aircraft. Hence, researchers are putting immense efforts to develop low RCS materials based on polymer matrix composites (PMCs) called as radar absorbing structures (RAS), to replace highly reflective conventional metallic aircraft structures. Though many researchers have been successful in RAS realization using radar absorbing materials (RAMs) as fillers, this review article reckons the state‐of‐the‐art advanced research on the realization of RAS using a combination of RAMs and multilayered grid devices such as, frequency selective surfaces, circuit analog absorbers, metamaterials, and so on, and their effect on mechanical properties to deliver superior performance RAS for stealth aircrafts. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47241.

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Cyanate esters (CEs) are recognized as matrix materials in composites for high-temperature structural applications, owing to their excellent thermal and dimensional stability, resistance to micro-cracks, low moisture absorption, and low dielectric loss. Though the brittle nature of CEs curtails their effective utilization, thermoplastic toughening has paved the way to circumvent their innate brittle attribute by virtue of the resulting two-phase morphology. This Review enumerates detailed deliberation on thermoplastic toughening of CEs and their semi-interpenetrating networks. Further, the effects of various decisive variables like thermoplastic concentration, molecular weight, and curing conditions are also reviewed and disserted in detail. In addition, the mechanical properties of numerous developed CE blends and their toughening mechanism are deliberated to elucidate their substantial engineering applications. This Review renders a detailed contemplation on thermoplastic toughening of CEs, composite fabrication methodology, and their structural integrity for high-temperature applications.