Nanoscale Structure in Polymers III: Polymer Nanocomposites

This session invites contributions exploring innovations in 1) synthesis and processing of polymer nanocomposites, (2) theoretical developments improving our understanding of these systems, and (3) new applications of polymer nanocomposites. Polymer nanocomposites may be tailored for properties such as enhanced thermal and mechanical stability, damping characteristics, thermal and electrical conductivity, permeability, biodegradability and fire retardance, to name just a few. In addition to the multifunctional nature of these materials, adaptive / smart nanocomposites which respond to external stimuli in a controlled, reproducible manner represent an interesting new emerging technology. The behavior of a polymer nanocomposite is dictated by the characteristics of the interfaces present in these materials, the properties of the constituent phases, and their three dimensional orientation, dispersion and distribution on multiple length scales. Papers investigating new materials with novel characteristics, chemical and physical manipulation of nanoparticles leading to new nanocomposites, developments in processing methods and fundamental structure-properties relations allowing for better understanding of these relevant hybrid materials are all welcomed.