Review on the Processing and Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites and Nanocoatings and Their Applications in the Packaging, Automotive and Solar Energy Fields

Abstract

For the last decades, nanocomposites materials have been widely studied in the scientific literature as they provide substantial properties enhancements, even at low nanoparticles content. Their performance depends on a number of parameters but the nanoparticles dispersion and distribution state remains the key challenge in order to obtain the full nanocomposites’ potential in terms of, e.g., flame retardance, mechanical, barrier and thermal properties, etc., that would allow extending their use in the industry. While the amount of existing research and indeed review papers regarding the formulation of nanocomposites is already significant, after listing the most common applications, this review focuses more in-depth on the properties and materials of relevance in three target sectors: packaging, solar energy and automotive. In terms of advances in the processing of nanocomposites, this review discusses various enhancement technologies such as the use of ultrasounds for in-process nanoparticles dispersion. In the case of nanocoatings, it describes the different conventionally used processes as well as nanoparticles deposition by electro-hydrodynamic processing. All in all, this review gives the basics both in terms of composition and of processing aspects to reach optimal properties for using nanocomposites in the selected applications. As an outlook, up-to-date nanosafety issues are discussed.

Stretchable quaternary phasic PVDF-HFP nanocomposite films containing graphene-titania-SrTiO3 for mechanical energy harvesting

“…2d). The uniform surface conductivity coming from the uniform filler distribution helps the nanocomposite to drain the surface charge and thus to achieve better device performance [35].…”

Laser transmission welding of poly(lactic acid) and polyamide66/sepiolite nanocomposites

“…Polymer nanocomposites are a specific type of composite material which consisted of at least two detached phases: a continuous one composed of a polymer matrix and one or more scattered one, composed of particles in nanoscale . The phases must be organized in a suitable way in order the composite to reach the nanocomposite status .…”

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“…SWCNT II nanotubes were fabricated in a similar way, with disproportionation on iron clusters obtained with the aid of catalyst Fe(CO) 5 in a carbon oxide flow transmitted through a heated reactor under high pressure. The catalyst impurity was then removed from nanotubes using fluorination 12 .…”

“…For the aforementioned reasons, interest has been shown in the fabrication and application of polymer based bulk structures; their advantage is the possibility of varying properties in wide limits by changing the material composition 5 . However, they have also a number of drawbacks.…”