Polymeric and Nanostructured Materials : Synthesis, Properties, and Advanced Applications

As nanotechnology progresses and complex nanosystems are fabricated, a growing impetus is being given to the development of multifunctional and size-dependent materials. The control of the morphology, from the nano- to the micrometer scales, associated with the incorporation of several functionalities, can yield entirely new smart hybrid materials. They are a special class of materials that provide a new method for the improvement of the environmental stability of the material with interesting optical properties and opening a land of opportunities for applications in the field of photonics.

Nanomaterials are an exciting subject in the field of both fundamental study and applied science. Recent research has progressed to nanocomposite materials with various structures and functions. Among the corporative candidates for constructing nanocomposites, polymers are the best choice, as they have many complementary functions such as elasticity, viscosity, and plasticity that inorganic nanocrystals lack. Photonic nano/microcomposites are generally constructed by embedding optically functional guest materials at nano/microscale into an optically transparent host matrix. The assembly of nanoparticles in matrices is of major interest in several optical and sensor applications, especially those which require large area coating. Polymeric materials are the perfect choice for such an integrated platform due to their lightweight and often ductile nature.

Polymer matrices reinforced with micro- and nanoparticles possess properties superior to those of the starting materials and can enhance their properties of the polymers due to the strong interfacial adhesion or interaction between the organic polymer and the inorganic particles. They exhibit a high optical damage threshold, microhardness, good thermal stability, etc., and enable the transformation of radiations over a wide spectral range with better efficiency than polymers and dyes separately. Thus, nano/microcomposites provide a new method to enhance the processability and stability of materials with interesting optical properties.

The goal of this book is to coordinate many smart nanomaterials and their recent developments in science and technology.