Abstract

Polymer-based composites are undoubtedly among the most intensively developed and most extensively deployed materials of the last decades [1]. Significant progress in the field of polymer-based composite materials has resulted in broad deployment in all those fields, where excellent mechanical properties combined with low weight, easiness of manufacturing and low cost are of concern. The number of impressive applications in aviation and automotive industry, civil engineering, medicine, and many others confirms the remarkable potential of composite materials. It should be noted, however, that polymer-based composite materials, when doped with rare-earths, may additionally offer very attractive optical (and specifically luminescent) features, which may enable exploring completely new fields of applications [2].

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