Properties Of Nanocomposites Research Articles

Tying carbon nanotubes using the double helix structure of a trefoil knot

The entanglement between heterogeneous materials at the nanometer scale is an interesting phenomenon by which the structure and properties of materials become significantly correlated. Herein, a computational framework is introduced for systematically analyzing the mechanical behavior of trefoil knots at the atomic scale. The changes in the mechanical stress and structural deformation characteristics of carbon nanotube (CNT) bundles of different diameters are evaluated with respect to the tightening and releasing a knotted molecular lasso. In the process of equilibrating the tightened CNT bundles, the helical reorientation of dangling hydrogen atoms in the trefoil knot is a crucial factor in preventing the lasso knot from unfurling. In particular, the correlation between the characteristic curvature formed when polymer chains bind nanotube bundles, and the persistence of the knot structure is quantitatively elucidated. These findings can serve as a bottom-up design method to determine the fundamental aspects behind the mechanical properties of nanostructures and nanocomposites.

Study of nanotube waviness influence on the behaviors of spherical nanocomposites

Considering the prominent properties of nanocomposites, the closer their modeling is to reality, the more suitable it is for engineering applications. One of the steps that can be taken for this purpose is to include the waviness of the reinforcements in the study of nanocomposites. In this article, for the first time, the effects of the waviness of reinforcing nanotubes in spherical nanocomposites on the behavior of mechanical waves have been studied. Several different ideas, such as adopting random contact model, the excluded volume of two spherocylinders, microscopic images and experimental results, are used for modeling wavy nanotubes in spherical nanocomposites, each of which has its own characteristics. For modeling the spherical nanocomposite itself, three-dimensional elasticity theory in spherical coordinates is used. For several different cases, the results of the present models are compared and calibrated with the results of experimental tests, which adds to the attractiveness of the work. The influences of various parameters such as radius of spherical nanocomposite, waviness factor, nanotubes volume fraction and wave number on the results are also investigated. From the results of this article, the idea can come to mind that the effects of the waviness of the nanotubes cannot be ignored in some cases and should be included in the modeling, otherwise it will produce significant errors in the results.

Post-creep residual tensile properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube/epoxy nanocomposites

Epoxy resin as a thermoset polymer is vulnerable to creep loading even at room temperature due to its viscoelastic nature. This study investigated the effect of reinforcing epoxy resin with different functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) contents on the creep response and post-creep residual tensile properties of nanocomposites. The creep tests were performed on the nanocomposite specimens containing different filler contents and the neat epoxy specimen at 40°C under a constant load level of 200 N. It was found that the nanocomposites containing 0.3 wt% MWCNTs experienced 29.6%, 69.1%, and 74.1% decreases in the elastic strain, creep strain, and steady-state creep strain rate, respectively, compared to the neat epoxy. Furthermore, the tensile strength and stiffness of the neat epoxy and nanocomposite specimens were evaluated before and after a partial creep test (at a load level of 200 N for 150 min) by conducting tensile tests. The nanocomposites containing 0.3 wt% MWCNTs demonstrated considerable improvements of 35.9%, 41.2%, 27.9%, and 28.1% in strength, residual strength, stiffness, and residual stiffness, respectively, compared to the neat epoxy. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy assessment was utilized to investigate the fracture surfaces of the nanocomposite specimens.

Investigating the charge transport mechanism and dielectric properties in nickel oxide polyaniline nanocomposites

A simple precipitation method was employed to synthesise Nickel Oxide (NiO) nanoparticles and in-situ polymerization method was employed to synthesise Polyaniline (PANI) and PANI/NiO nanocomposites. To investigate the charge transport mechanism, DC and AC conductivity studies have been carried out. The drastic decrease in DC conductivity by two orders with an addition of NiO is noticed. Impedance and AC conductivity characteristics of these composites were examined in the frequency ranging from 10 Hz to 8 MHz. All samples obey Jonscher's Power law of disordered material at higher frequencies. The values of dielectric constant as well as dielectric loss decreased with an increase in applied frequency for all the samples. The samples show non-Debey relaxation mechanism verified by Havriliak – Negami model. Composite sample 5 wt % NiO show low tangent loss behaviour which are of importance in high frequency device applications. The obtained results are promising applications for energy storage applications and organic electronic devices.

In vitro inflammation and toxicity assessment of pre- and post-incinerated organomodified nanoclays to macrophages using high-throughput screening approaches

BackgroundOrganomodified nanoclays (ONC), two-dimensional montmorillonite with organic coatings, are increasingly used to improve nanocomposite properties. However, little is known about pulmonary health risks along the nanoclay life cycle even with increased evidence of airborne particulate exposures in occupational environments. Recently, oropharyngeal aspiration exposure to pre- and post-incinerated ONC in mice caused low grade, persistent lung inflammation with a pro-fibrotic signaling response with unknown mode(s) of action. We hypothesized that the organic coating presence and incineration status of nanoclays determine the inflammatory cytokine secretary profile and cytotoxic response of macrophages. To test this hypothesis differentiated human macrophages (THP-1) were acutely exposed (0–20 µg/cm2) to pristine, uncoated nanoclay (CloisNa), an ONC (Clois30B), their incinerated byproducts (I-CloisNa and I-Clois30B), and crystalline silica (CS) followed by cytotoxicity and inflammatory endpoints. Macrophages were co-exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or LPS-free medium to assess the role of priming the NF-κB pathway in macrophage response to nanoclay treatment. Data were compared to inflammatory responses in male C57Bl/6J mice following 30 and 300 µg/mouse aspiration exposure to the same particles.ResultsIn LPS-free media, CloisNa exposure caused mitochondrial depolarization while Clois30B exposure caused reduced macrophage viability, greater cytotoxicity, and significant damage-associated molecular patterns (IL-1α and ATP) release compared to CloisNa and unexposed controls. LPS priming with low CloisNa doses caused elevated cathepsin B/Caspage-1/IL-1β release while higher doses resulted in apoptosis. Clois30B exposure caused dose-dependent THP-1 cell pyroptosis evidenced by Cathepsin B and IL-1β release and Gasdermin D cleavage. Incineration ablated the cytotoxic and inflammatory effects of Clois30B while I-CloisNa still retained some mild inflammatory potential. Comparative analyses suggested that in vitro macrophage cell viability, inflammasome endpoints, and pro-inflammatory cytokine profiles significantly correlated to mouse bronchioalveolar lavage inflammation metrics including inflammatory cell recruitment.ConclusionsPresence of organic coating and incineration status influenced inflammatory and cytotoxic responses following exposure to human macrophages. Clois30B, with a quaternary ammonium tallow coating, induced a robust cell membrane damage and pyroptosis effect which was eliminated after incineration. Conversely, incinerated nanoclay exposure primarily caused elevated inflammatory cytokine release from THP-1 cells. Collectively, pre-incinerated nanoclay displayed interaction with macrophage membrane components (molecular initiating event), increased pro-inflammatory mediators, and increased inflammatory cell recruitment (two key events) in the lung fibrosis adverse outcome pathway.

A molecular dynamics study on the size effects of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the mechanical characteristics of polypyrrole/Fe3O4 nanocomposite

ABSTRACT Nanoparticle size effects on elastic properties of polymeric bio-nanocomposites were studied using atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Spherical magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) were placed at the centre of amorphous polypyrrole (PPy) polymer in three models with different sizes. Three models of nanocomposites with the same particle volume fractions with different sizes were considered. The Lennard-Jones 6-12 potential modelled the interface interaction between polymer and particles. Initially, the obtained mechanical properties for pristine PPy and magnetite in the bulk state showed an acceptable agreement with experimental data. Subsequently, simulation results illustrated that incorporating MNP into the PPy matrix improves the elastic modulus of the matrix by 28-58%, and more importantly, decreasing the size of the nanoparticle from 2.40 to 1.80 nm in the system leads to increasing Young's modulus of the nanocomposite from a 3.20 to 3.94 GPa. Furthermore, the atomic investigation demonstrated that this change in elastic modulus is due to the change in interatomic interaction between nanoparticle and polymer when the nanoparticle size changes. Finally, the comparison between the results of MD and micromechanical analysis shows that as the size of the nanoparticle in nanocomposites increases, the elastic properties of nanocomposites converge with the results obtained by the micromechanical approach.

Machine intelligence-accelerated discovery of all-natural plastic substitutes.

One possible solution against the accumulation of petrochemical plastics in natural environments is to develop biodegradable plastic substitutes using natural components. However, discovering all-natural alternatives that meet specific properties, such as optical transparency, fire retardancy and mechanical resilience, which have made petrochemical plastics successful, remains challenging. Current approaches still rely on iterative optimization experiments. Here we show an integrated workflow that combines robotics and machine learning to accelerate the discovery of all-natural plastic substitutes with programmable optical, thermal and mechanical properties. First, an automated pipetting robot is commanded to prepare 286 nanocomposite films with various properties to train a support-vector machine classifier. Next, through 14 active learning loops with data augmentation, 135 all-natural nanocomposites are fabricated stagewise, establishing an artificial neural network prediction model. We demonstrate that the prediction model can conduct a two-way design task: (1) predicting the physicochemical properties of an all-natural nanocomposite from its composition and (2) automating the inverse design of biodegradable plastic substitutes that fulfils various user-specific requirements. By harnessing the model's prediction capabilities, we prepare several all-natural substitutes, that could replace non-biodegradable counterparts as exhibiting analogous properties. Our methodology integrates robot-assisted experiments, machine intelligence and simulation tools to accelerate the discovery and design of eco-friendly plastic substitutes starting from building blocks taken from the generally-recognized-as-safe database.

The effect of poly(ethylene glycol) on the properties of poly (lactic acid)/silane-modified bacterial cellulose nanocomposites

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the impact of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) on the properties of nanocomposites consisting of polylactic acid (PLA) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane-modified bacterial cellulose (MBC) nanofibers. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies indicated that the presence of PEG enhanced the chain mobility of PLA during crystallization, thereby enabling the MBC to act as efficient nucleation agents. Furthermore, DSC and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses provided evidence for the formation of two distinct crystal structures, namely α and α,’ as well as various spherulitic dimensions. Finally, the toughening of PLA was occurred by adding PEG to PLA and ternary nanocomposites.

Unveiling the Influence of Metal Oxides on Multifaceted Polypyrrole Nanocomposite Properties

Unveiling the Influence of Metal Oxides on Multifaceted Polypyrrole Nanocomposite Properties

A review on improved physical and thermal properties of oxide nanoparticles reinforced epoxy composites

Epoxy resins are well-known because of their desirable thermal and mechanical characteristics in a variety of fields, including the automotive, construction, and aerospace sectors. However, the inherent brittle nature of highly cross-linked epoxy resins generally leads to weakness in resisting the formation of cracks and their movement. The brittleness of the epoxy resins is one of the major obstacles inhibiting its use at a wider scale. Therefore, many researchers focused on reinforcement of epoxy resins by different types of nanostructures including carbon nanotubes (CNTs), organic/inorganic nanofillers to provide higher strength, without diminishing other essential thermo-physical characteristics of the nanocomposites. Most of the review articles focused on the CNT-reinforced epoxy composites and very limited review articles are available that focus on the oxide nanofiller reinforced epoxy composites. In this review article, epoxy nanocomposites reinforced with alumina (Al2O3), titania (TiO2), silica (SiO2), and zirconia (ZrO2) nanoparticles have been investigated. The influence of the oxide nanoparticles in modifying the physical and thermal properties of the epoxy nanocomposites has been presented, compared, and critically analysed to optimize the performance of epoxy nanocomposites.

Interfacial and Filler Size Effects on Mechanical/Thermal/Electrical Properties of CNTs-Reinforced Nanocomposites.

The mechanical/thermal/electrical properties on-demand design of CNTs-reinforced nanocomposites is a key scientific issue that limits the development of new-generation smart nanomaterials, and the establishment of a corresponding unified theoretical prediction model for the mechanical/thermal/electrical properties is the foundation of nanocomposites. Based on the equivalent medium theory (EMT) obtained by Maxwell far-field matching, a unified mechanical/thermal/electrical modified EMT model is established by introducing Young's modulus, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity to the thin filler-matrix's interlayer. According to literature, the proposed model was employed to theoretically calculate the variations in the overall Young's modulus, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity of CNTs-reinforced nanocomposites with respect to the volume concentration of CNT fillers. Then, the applicability of the proposed theoretical model was validated in comparison with the experimental measurements. Numerical calculations showed that the interface is a key factor affecting the mechanical/thermal/electrical properties of CNTs-reinforced nanocomposites, and strengthening the interfacial effect is an effective way to enhance the overall properties of nanocomposites. In addition, the aspect ratio of CNT fillers also significantly affects the material properties of the CNT fillers interface phase and the CNTs-reinforced nanocomposites. By fitting the experimental data, the calculation expressions of the aspect ratios of CNT fillers on the Young's modulus, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity of the CNT fillers interfacial phase are quantitatively given, respectively.

A novel nanocomposite-based zeolite for efficient remediation of Cd-contaminated industrial wastewater

Novel nanocomposite sorbent was produced by depositing nanostructured water treatment residual (nWTR) onto zeolite (Ze) using high-energy ball milling process. The physicochemical properties of nanocomposite (Ze-nWTR) prior and after Cd adsorption were analyzed by SEM–EDX, FTIR, BET and XRD. A batch study of cadmium adsorption (Ze-nWTR) was performed at various process parameters (sorbent dose, contact time, solution pH, competing ions, initial concentration and temperature). The obtained data were fitted to various equilibrium and kinetics models. The Langmuir and power function models successfully described Cd adsorption equilibrium and kinetic processes, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) value of Cd by Ze-nWTR nanocomposite (147 mgg−1) was 3 and 5.9 times higher than those of nWTR and zeolite sorbents, respectively. Increasing temperature from 287 to 307 K has resulted in increasing the maximum Cd adsorption capacity (qmax) of the nanocomposite from 147.9 to 270 mgg−1. The calculated thermodynamics parameters suggested physical and chemical attraction between Cd and Ze-nWTR and the association of dissociative mechanism in Cd(II) sorption process. The excellent reusability and Cd removal ability of Ze-nWTR nanocomposite (98%) from industrial wastewater confirm its potential as promising adsorbent for wastewater treatment applications.

Adsorption and DFT investigations of Cr(VI) removal using nanocrystals decorated with graphene oxide

In this research, a solvothermal approach is introduced to synthesize a metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) nanocomposite (GO/UiO-66-NDC) for the removal of Cr(VI) from water. A comprehensive analysis was performed to understand the physical, chemical, and structural properties of the MOF nanocomposite. The adsorption behavior of Cr(VI) was investigated by changing various parameters, such as pH, dosage, and concentration, to determine isotherms, thermodynamics, and kinetics. The results showed that the nanocomposite had a high tolerance to pH and thermal stability, with a high adsorption capacity of 157.23 mg g−1 for Cr(VI) at pH 3 due to the presence of zirconium oxide clusters. The density functional theory simulations showed that the nanocomposite had ten times more dynamic delocalized surface states, which enhanced the adsorption capacity and agreed with the experimental results. Furthermore, the nanocomposite exhibited better regeneration performance compared to previously reported materials, making it a promising super-adsorbent for removing Cr(VI) from water.

Molecular dynamics simulation and experimental study on the mechanical properties of PET nanocomposites filled with CaCO3, SiO2, and POE-g-GMA

Abstract This work investigated the mechanical properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) reinforced with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and silica (SiO2) nanoparticles, respectively, and the improvement in toughness of the ternary system with the incorporation of graft-modified ethylene-1-octene copolymer (POE-g-GMA). PET nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending extrusion and injection molding. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was employed to construct models for binary system filled with nanoparticles and ternary system with the additional inclusion of POE-g-GMA elastomers. The results of mechanical property tests and MD simulation revealed that the binary system exhibited increased elastic modulus and tensile strength, mainly attributed to the effective reinforcement of rigid nanoparticles and the surface adsorption between nanoparticles and the PET matrix enhanced the interfacial interactions. CaCO3 indicated a more pronounced reinforcing effect, possibly due to the higher crystallinity of its composites. The incorporation of POE-g-GMA resulted in a significant improvement in impact strength and the elongation at break of PET nanocomposites. This enhancement in toughness is attributed to the elastomer’s ability to absorb a substantial amount of impact energy, while the elastic modulus is higher than that of pure PET.

Fracture load in double keyhole notch PLA-Cu2O nanocomposites manufactured via compression molding and 3D printing: An experimental and numerical study

Polylactic acid (PLA) polymer has garnered significant attention due to its biocompatibility. The incorporation of copper oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles into this polymer is expected to enhance its antibacterial, electrical, and thermal properties. This modification can potentially improve the performance of PLA in the fields of prosthetics manufacturing or printed circuit fabrication. However, the current research is rather focused on the mechanical properties of the PLA-Cu2O nanocomposites. This research is thus aimed to analyze PLA-Cu2O (97-3 wt%) nanocomposites with a double keyhole notch configuration both experimentally and numerically. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray mapping of elemental distribution(X-map), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed to explore the morphology, crystallinity, homogeneity, purity, and thermal stability of the nanocomposite. The specimens were fabricated through two different processes: the classical method of compression molding and the innovative method of 3D printing. The results revealed the superior mechanical performance of the 3D-printed nanocomposite at a 0° raster angle, while the mechanical properties gradually decreased for raster angles of 45° and 90°. The experimental test also indicated a decline in the maximum fracture load of specimens with a double keyhole notch and constant notch inclination angle by raising the notch radius. This behavior was also observed by increasing the notch inclination angle at constant notch radius. The numerical results were similar to the experimental findings. Moreover, the nanocomposite manufactured through the classical method exhibited higher critical fracture load compared to their 3D-printed counterparts with the same geometry.

Innovative enhancement of electron tunneling synergy in carbon-doped Ta2O5[sbnd]CuO photocatalyst with nematic liquid crystal for safe drinking water

This study focuses on enhancing the photocatalytic properties of carbon-doped Ta2O5CuO (C-Ta2O5CuO) nanocomposites for drinking water purification. The nanocomposites were fabricated by depositing C-Ta2O5CuO onto Nematic Liquid Crystal Polaroid (NLCP) obtained from a discarded laptop monitor, employing the sputter deposition method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) determined the nanocomposite thin films' crystallinity and structural properties. The EDX and XPS analyses confirmed the elemental composition and reality of the Cu-incorporated Ta2O5 nanocomposites, respectively. The combination of electron tunneling enhancement provided by the NLCP and graphitic carbon led to exceptional photocatalytic performance. This was particularly evident in the efficient degradation of P-Rosaniline Hydrochloride (PRH) dye in an aqueous medium. C-Ta2O5CuO catalytic activities were estimated at various dye concentrations, repeatability, reusability with time, and kinetics. Coating's stability and long-term activity in photocatalysis reactions were also tested. Additionally, Cu present in the C-Ta2O5CuO and ˙OH radicals exhibited remarkable bactericidal activity. They displayed significant antibacterial efficacy against both gram-positive Escherichia coli (E. coli) and gram-negative Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria. These findings have significant implications for the development of advanced materials with potent photocatalytic and antibacterial properties, holding promise for improving drinking water quality and addressing environmental and health challenges.

Mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of poly(3-hydroxy butyrate) nanocomposites prepared by melt mixing method

Abstract This research focuses on the preparation of poly (3-hydroxy butyrate) (PHB) nanocomposites using the melt mixing method. Two types of organically modified nanoclay, Cloisite 93A (C93A), and Cloisite 30B (C30B), were incorporated at various weight percentages into the PHB matrix to create the nanocomposites. Comparative analyses were conducted between PHB/C93A and PHB/C30B to assess their tensile and impact properties in relation to the matrix polymer. Between the nanocomposites, the PHB/C93A nanocomposites shows an optimum tensile modulus of 949 Mpa with a 3 wt% clay loading, while PHB/C30B nanocomposites demonstrated improved percentage elongation at break of 5.33 % and enhanced Izod impact strength of 39.67 J/m at 3 wt% of clay load. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) signifies the thermal behavior of both the matrix and nanocomposite. The degree of crystallinity is observed to be 47 % in case of the PHB/C30B nanocomposites as compared to the PHB/C93A nanocomposites as 38 %. Again in case of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the maximum % char of 5.198 is observed for the PHB/C30B nanocomposites. The enhanced viscoelastic behavior of the PHB/C93A nanocomposites was attributed at a peak of approx. 55–60 °C due to the incorporation of C93A nanoclay into the matrix in the study of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The morphological investigation using WAXD analysis showcased particle clay intercalation and dispersion within the PHB matrix, indicating effective clay-matrix interactions. Overall, this study sheds light on the enhanced properties of PHB nanocomposites with the incorporation of organoclay, offering potential applications in various industries.

Evaluation of mechanical and erosive wear properties of hybrid nano composites basalt/E-glass fiber + MWCNTs/SiO2

The extensive study conducted has revealed that the mechanical and other characteristics of hybrid composites are greatly influenced by several aspects, such as the kind of fibre reinforcement, nanofillers, matrix materials, and the manufacturing methods employed. In the context of structural applications, the incorporation of Multi-wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) as fillers in E-Glass fibres had a significant impact on the rapid alteration of mechanical properties, particularly strength, in the composites. This study aimed to create hybrid nanocomposites by including multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) as filler materials, Basalt/E-glass as fibres, and epoxy with hardener as the matrix. This study utilises statistical methods, specifically the Taguchi L16 Orthogonal Array (OA), to analyse the impact of various operating factors. The parameters selected for this study include MWCNTs/SiO2 fillers at varying weight percentages (0 %, 1 %, 2.9 %, and 3 %), an epoxy matrix with decreasing weight percentages (40 %, 39 %, 38 %, and 37 %), compression pressures ranging from 5 MPa to 35 MPa, and moulding temperatures ranging from 40 °C to 100 °C. The mechanical parameters being examined are the tensile strength and erosive wear. The utilisation of the hand layup and compression moulding technique achieved the development of these composites. By optimising the moulding temperature, significant improvements were achieved in the tensile strength, which reached 184.38 MPa. Similarly, reducing the percentage of fillers resulted in a substantial decrease in erosive wear, with a value of 95.06 mg/kg.

Differential Silica Nanoparticles Functionalized with Branched Poly(1-Vinyl-1,2,4-Triazole): Antibacterial, Antifungal, and Cytotoxic Qualities

This research aims to improve antimicrobial materials based on functional silica nanoparticles. Three different methods were used in the study to create silica nanoparticles with other properties. The nanoparticles’ morphological structures are porous, hollow, and filled with spherical forms. The surface of these nanoparticles was grafted with poly(1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole) (PVTri). The morphological properties of nanocomposites were used for analysis. In contrast, thermal gravimetric analysis was used to characterize the thermal properties of nanocomposites (thermogravimetric analysis). The silica nanoparticles were evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae using minimum inhibitory concentration measurement. Silica nanoparticles have different antifungal and antibacterial properties related to their structure. The cytotoxic effects of the silica nanoparticles on HaCaT cells were performed with an MTS assay. In this study, we observed that high doses of HSS and e-SiO2 decreased cell growth, while HSS and e-SiO2 composite with PVTri increased cell proliferation.

Modeling the Interface Between Phases in Dense Polymer‐Carbon Black Nanoparticle Composites by Dielectric Spectroscopy: Where Are We Now and What are the Opportunities?

AbstractThe macroscopic properties of polymer nanocomposites (PNC) rely largely on the interphase between the polymer chains and the filler particles. One significant difficulty to solve this issue is to quantitatively model the structure‐property correlations due to the interfacial region in these complex materials. While dielectric spectroscopy (DS) measurements are routinely used to characterize the effective permittivity of filled polymers, fitting standard effective medium models and mixing equations to these data remains notoriously difficult to interpret. This is due to the absence of explicit reference to internal length scales characterizing the interfaces in the PNC. As an illustrative example, a two‐level homogenization framework is proposed which enables the extraction of useful information on the impact of a thin interphase confined on a nanometer length scale based on broadband DS data. This model leads to new ways of tuning the interphase so as to optimize the material's response to electric field, a situation relevant for electromagnetic shielding. This approach provides guidance on how to observe directly and experimentally the actual properties of the interface between the phases (as opposed to model‐based inference). Aside from its secure physical foundation in the theory of effective medium, a significant advantage of this approach is that a genetic algorithm (GA) technique applied to this physics‐based model enables the uniqueness of the fit parameters to be considered, as the GA method is robust in terms of finding globally optimum solutions, therefore placing confidence in non‐universal values of the percolation exponents. Recent work in physics‐informed machine learning indicates that the effective dielectric properties of PNC with many degrees of freedom due to their complex morphology can be described by considering only a few degrees of freedom describing the interface features between the phases in these composites.