Polymer nanocomposites: The "nano" effect on mechanical properties

Polymer nanocomposites offer significant potential in the development of advanced materials for numerous applications. These novel materials benefit from the synergy between filler particles and polymer chains that are on similar length scales and the large quantity of facial area relative to the volume of the material. Although enhanced properties of these materials have been demonstrated by numerous researchers our fundamental knowledge of the "nano" effect in terms of mechanical properties is not fully developed. In this article, we discuss the important properties of three components in a general polymer nanocomposite: the polymer matrix, the nanoscale filler, and the interfacial region. We highlight theory and experimental observations from several different fields to help guide the future research and development a understanding in this critical field.