Polymer Nanocomposite Processing, Characterization, and Applications 2013
1Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc., Avon Lake, OH, USA
2DST/CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, National Centre for Nano Structured Materials, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
3Materials Science and Engineering Department, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
4Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
5Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
Polymer Nanocomposite Processing, Characterization, and Applications 2013
Description
Nanoparticles, such as carbon nanotubes, nanoclays, and graphenes are widely used in the polymer nanocomposites to alter the chemical, mechanical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties. However, a number of critical issues need to be addressed before the full potential of polymer nanocomposites can actually be realized. The improvements in mechanical, thermal, electrical, and rheological properties of polymers by addition of nanoparticles depend upon a number of factors, such as processing technique, interfacial interaction between nanoparticles and host polymers, and state of nanoparticle dispersion. While a number of advances have recently been made in the area of polymer nanocomposites, the studies on understanding of the effects of processing parameters on the structure, morphology, and functional properties of polymer nanocomposites are deficient. The relationships between the structural distributions and the ultimate properties of the polymer nanocomposites also need to be elucidated. There is a need for better characterization techniques to quantify the concentration and distributions of nanoparticles as well as to assess the strength at the interface between the polymer and nanoparticles. Also, there is a need for the development of better models with ability to predict the mechanical properties of the polymer nanocomposites as functions of relevant factors including nanoparticle orientation, the type of functional groups, and the molecular weight of polymer chain.
For the fourth time, a special issue of the Journal of Nanomaterials will be devoted to emerging polymer nanocomposite processing techniques. This note is a call for new contributions in the field of characterization and applications of multifunctional nanocomposites. This special issue intends to cover the entire range of basic and applied materials research focusing on rheological characterization, nanoparticle dispersion, and functional properties of polymer nanocomposites for sensors, actuators, and other applications. Fundamental understanding of the effects of processing and nanoparticles on the polymer structure and morphology, their optical, electrical, and mechanical properties as well as novel functions and applications of nanocomposite materials will be the highlights of this special issue. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Rheological and thermal characterization of nanocomposites
- Processing-induced orientation of nanoparticles
- Generation of nanofibers using extrusion and electrospinning of nanocomposites
- Solution and melt processing of polymer nanocomposites
- Quantification of nanoparticle dispersion
- Effect of nanoparticle addition on polymerization
- Nanoparticle functionalization and characterization of properties at polymer-nanoparticle interface
- Novel applications of polymer nanocomposites
Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal’s Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnm/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/submit/journals/jnm/pnca13/ according to the following timetable: