A Review of Smart Nylon‐Based Composites: From Materials, Preparation Processes, Applications to Future Perspectives

ABSTRACT

Smart composites have emerged as pivotal materials for the Internet of Things and the smart era, owing to their core capabilities of sensing, actuation, and control. Against this backdrop, nylon stands out among polymer matrices due to its exceptional flexibility, durability, chemical stability, and ease of forming unique structures (e.g., porous structures), making it an ideal matrix material for constructing smart composites. Despite the rapid and diverse development of smart nylon‐based composites, existing reviews on nylon composites have primarily focused on conventional properties, whereas reviews on smart materials have only briefly mentioned nylon as a generic substrate. There remains a lack of review articles in this field to guide the targeted design and development of smart nylon‐based composites. Therefore, to address this gap, this work establishes a complete knowledge framework that progresses from functional material selection and composite fabrication processes to the realization of smart applications. It elucidates how multi‐scale composite techniques can integrate the high‐performance substrate material nylon with various other materials possessing unique functionalities, thereby achieving the transformation path from traditional materials to smart composites or systems. Furthermore, this review critically assesses the existing challenges and future prospects, offering valuable reference for researchers in related industries.