Nanotechnology is now recognized as one of the most promising areas for technological development in the 21st century. In materials research, the development of polymer nanocomposites is rapidly emerging as a multidisciplinary research activity whose results could broaden the applications of polymers to the great benefit of many different industries.

Polymeric nanocomposites are polymers (thermoplastics, thermosets or elastomers) that have been reinforced with small quantities (less than 5% by weight) of nano-sized particles having high aspect ratios (L/h > 300).

These materials offer improvements over conventional composites in mechanical, thermal, electrical and barrier properties. Furthermore, they can reduce flammability significantly and maintain the transparency of the polymer matrix.

These attractive characteristics already suggest a variety of possible industrial applications for polymer nanocomposites:

• automotive (gas tanks, bumpers, interior and exterior panels)
• construction (building sections and structural panels)
• aerospace (flame retardant panels and high performance components)
• electrical and electronics (electrical components and printed circuit boards)
• food packaging (containers and wrapping films)

• Rheological (viscous and viscoelastic effects)
• Thermal (heat capacity, phase transitions, crystallization kinetics, fire resistance, degradation)
• Thermodynamic (PVT behaviour)
• Short and long term mechanical and physico-chemical performance (permeability, stress-deformation, fracture behaviour, impact, fatigue, environmental resistance)
• Microstructure development during processing (orientation, crystallinity, residual stresses)