Exceptional mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of nano-particles materials as well as their low density and high aspect ratios have now rendered them among desired reinforcing agents in a wide range of composites in high tech applications. The experimental measurement of nanoreinforced material properties, however, is still a challenging and tedious task. Extremely scattered data obtained through experimental observations originated from different processing limitations and obstacles have encouraged many researchers to pursue a variety of theoretical studies on the effective properties of nanoreinforcements and their corresponding composites. Consequently, next to experimental studies, simulation and modeling techniques currently play a significant role in characterizing nanocomposite properties and understanding their mechanical behavior via atomistic modeling, continuum mechanics-based approaches, and multiscale modeling techniques.

Characterization of nanocomposites is occasionally aimed at gaining knowledge on their global response, such as the displacement and stress fields at the boundaries of a representative volume element. The continuum mechanics approaches are adequate and sufficient for modeling nanocomposites within this scope. On the other hand, for more elaborate analyses, a more advanced approach for simulation of nanoreinforced materials is the multiscale modeling where the molecular dynamics and continuum mechanics models are integrated in a computing environment. This approach, in turn, can be detailed enough to account for the material physics at nanoscale while efficient enough to handle the field variables of interest at larger length scales.

Concentrating on nanoreinforced composite materials and their applications, the main objective of this special issue is to provide a forum for exchanging the state-of-the-art and novel ideas in the field of modeling, characterization, and processing of these emerging materials. Authors are invited to submit original research articles as well as review articles.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties
• Analytical and numerical techniques
• Atomistic modeling
• Continuum modeling
• Multiscale modeling
• Application of nanocomposites
• Damage and fracture
• Durability and aging
• Impact and dynamic response
• Probabilistic approach and design
• Design of experiments and optimization