Shear thickening fluid (STF) is a dense colloidal suspension of nanoparticles in a carrier fluid in which the viscosity increases dramatically with a rise in shear rate. Due to the excellent energy absorption and energy dissipation of STF, there is a desire to employ STFs in a variety of impact applications. In this study, a comprehensive review on STFs’ applications is presented. First, several common shear thickening mechanisms are discussed in this paper. The applications of different STF impregnated fabric composites and the STF’s contributions on improving the impact, ballistic and stab resistance performance have also been presented. Moreover, recent developments of STF’s applications, including dampers and shock absorbers, are included in this review. In addition, some novel applications (acoustic structure, STF-TENG and electrospun nonwoven mats) based on STF are summarized, to suggest the challenges of future research and propose some more deterministic research directions, e.g., potential trends for applications of STF.

The traditional curing methods for thermosetting resins are energy-inefficient and environmentally unfriendly. Frontal polymerization (FP) is a self-sustaining process relying on the exothermic heat of polymerization. During FP, the external energy input (such as UV light input or heating) is only required at the initial stage to trigger a localized reaction front. FP is regarded as the rapid and energy-efficient manufacturing of polymers. The precise control of FP is essential for several manufacturing technologies, such as 3D printing, depending on the materials and the coupling of thermal transfer and polymerization. In this review, recent progress on the materials, modeling, and application of FP for thermosetting resins are presented. First, the effects of resin formulations and mixed fillers on FP behavior are discussed. Then, the basic mathematical model and reaction-thermal transfer model of FP are introduced. After that, recent developments in FP-based manufacturing applications are introduced in detail. Finally, this review outlines a roadmap for future research in this field.