A review on the effect of processing techniques and functionalization of filler on mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites

Abstract

Polymer nanocomposites with carbon fillers are widely used for electrical, mechanical and thermal applications due to their excellent intrinsic properties along with their light weight. Carbon fillers with higher aspect ratio have limitations of higher agglomeration and non-uniform distribution in polymer matrix due to high vander Waals forces acting between them and also due to lack of compatibility between polymer and filler. This results in poor properties of the fabricated composites, hence limiting their application. With proper selection of processing method and optimization of processing parameters, mechanical properties of the polymer nanocomposites can be improved. Functionalization of carbon fillercan enhance the compatibility of filler and the polymer matrix, which can further increase the mechanical properties like tensile strength and young’s modulus. This can result in polymer nanocomposites which may have the result in substitution of metals in various applications. This paper reviews about effect of various processing techniques used for dispersion and fabrication of composites and functionalization of filler which can improvemechanical properties of fabricated nanocomposites.