Carbon-Based Polymer Nanocomposite and Environmental Perspective
5.6 Recent Advances in the Field of Nanocomposites
The challenges and the vision of nanocomposites applications in human society and human scientific progress are immense and groundbreaking today. Technology has practically no answers to the increasing concerns of environmental disasters, heavy metal drinking water contamination, and the global water shortage. Here comes the need of composite science, polymer science, and nanotechnology. The authors in this entire chapter reiterate the scientific success, the scientific vision, and the scientific inge- nuity in the field of nanocomposites application in environmental pollu- tion control.
Ebrahimi deeply discussed with immense lucidity and scientific con- science new trends and developments in nanocomposites. Nanoscience, nanotechnology, nanomaterials, and engineered nanomaterials have become veritably a central field of scientific and technological activity.
Human civilization’s immense scientific prowess in nanotechnology and the futuristic vision of nano-engineering will surely lead a long and vision- ary way in the true emancipation and true realization of diverse areas of science and engineering today such as the area of nano-composites [1].
Over the last few years, the interest in nanostructures and their applications
in various electronic devices, effective optoelectronic devices, bio-sensors, photodetectors, solar cells, nanodevices, plasmonic structures, has been increasing at a large scale. This is veritably caused by the unique properties of nanostructures and the stupendous performance of nanoscale devices [1]. Today, nanotechnology and nano-engineering are in the path of newer vision and newer scientific rejuvenation. This entire book meant to provide a small but valuable example of contemporary scientific research around the globe in this field and will surely provide an exemplary treatise for future scientists and researchers. The vision and the immense challenges in the field of nanocomposites are vast and versatile today. This treatise opens up the domain in the theory, preparation, and characterization of various types of nanocomposites such as composites of cellulose and metal nanoparticles, polymer/clay, polymer/carbon, and polymer-graphene nano- composites, and several other interesting and path breaking topics [1].
Also, this book targets the various applications of nanocomposites in water treatment, supercapacitors, green energy generation, anti-corrosive and antistatic applications, hard coatings, antiballistic, and electroconductive scaffolds. The scientific challenges, the futuristic vision, and the needs of human society with respect to nanotechnology applications are delineated in deep details in this treatise [1].
Anadao discussed concepts, researches, applications, and the futuristic trends in the field of polymer and clay nanocomposites. On 29th December, 1959, the eminent physicist Dr. Richard Feynman delivered a visionary lec- ture titled “There is plenty of room at the bottom” at the American Physical Society [2]. This lecture was a visionary landmark in the field of nano- technology and nano-engineering. This lecture ushered in a new era in the field of global scientific and engineering perspectives. From then on, science and technology along with scientific fortitude and scientific vision ushered in a mastership of nanometric scale and newer research tools and theoreti- cal and experimental developments. Today, globally science and engineer- ing needs to be re-envisioned and re-organized as regards research forays in nano-engineering [2]. Regarding polymer/clay nanocomposite technology, the first mention in scientific research pursuit was in 1949 and is credited to Bower that carried out the DNA absorption by the montmorillonite clay [2].
Moreover, other studies performed in 1960s highly demonstrated that clay surface could act as a polymerization initiator as well as monomers could be applied between clay mineral platelets [2]. Human scientific research pur- suit’s immense scientific girth and determination, the vision and challenges of composites and material science, and the marvels of research endeavor globally will surely open up new doors of innovation and instinct in years to come. The authors in this paper discussed polymer/clay nanocomposites,
polymer/clay nanocomposite morphology, preparation methods of polymer/
clay nanocomposite, and polymer and clay modifications to nanocomposite formations [2]. The redefinition and re-envisioning of the field of conduc- tive polymers, biodegradable polymers, and the vast world of applications of polymer/clay nanocomposites are dealt with immense scientific conscience in this chapter [2].
Lee et al. discussed with lucid and cogent insight functionalized graphene sheet/polyurethane nanocomposites. One of the pivotal areas of polymer nanotechnology is precise synthesis of polymer nanocomposites.
Technological vision and scientific redeeming are the necessities of scien- tific research forays today. Small insertion of nanosized inorganic com- pounds usually improves the properties of polymers in great deal, which makes many of the most important application areas possible depending on the inorganic material present in polymers [3]. Scientific ardor, deep scientific intricacies, and the world of challenges are the pivotal issues in the application of nanocomposites today. So, the need of a detailed trea- tise on composites, nanocomposites, and material science [3]. One of an integral part of polymer nanotechnology is the precise synthesis of poly- mer nanocomposites. Small insertion of nanosized inorganic compounds usually improves the properties of polymers in a great deal, which makes many of the important and vital application areas possible depending on the inorganic material present in polymers [3]. Technological advance- ments and scientific validation in the field of nanocomposites are today in the path of newer scientific stewardship and vision. Specially and vitally, polymer composites which contain electrically conducting fillers, such as natural graphite, carbon black, and metal powders, have been thoroughly investigated in the past few decades for their potential applications in diverse areas of science and engineering [3]. Graphene is essentially an isolated atomic plane of graphite which is composed of a single layer of sp2-bonded carbon atoms that are densely packed in a honeycomb crystal lattice with a large and big specific surface area. The authors discussed in deep details preparation of functionalized graphene sheets (FGS), PMMA (poly(methyl methacrylate))/graphene nanocomposites, polyurethane (PU)/functionalized graphene sheets nanocomposites, preparation of polyurethane/functionalized graphene sheets and their manufacture by in situ polymerization. The authors also discussed mechanical properties of Functionalized Graphene Sheets/Polyurethane nanocomposites and elec- trical conductivities of FGS/PU nanocomposites [3]. In this entire treatise, the authors deeply delved into the murky depths of the preparation of var- ious nanocomposites. The authors deeply discussed two processing meth- ods: mechanical mixing and in situ polymerization and how properties
of the resulting composites are affected by how they are made [3]. The vast challenges and the definite vision of nanocomposites preparation are deeply discussed in minute details.
Ma et al. deeply discussed in deep details and immense far-sightedness in a review dispersion and functionalization of carbon nanotubes for polymer-based nanocomposites. Carbon nanotubes hold immense prom- ise of delivering exceptional mechanical properties and vast multi-functional properties. This paper widely reviews the present scientific understanding of CNTs and CNT/polymer nanocomposites with two particular topics:
1) the principles and techniques for CNT dispersion and functionalization;
2) the effects of CNT dispersion and functionalization on the properties of carbon nanocomposites [4]. The fabrication and the manufacturing tech- niques and the vast potential of CNT/polymer nanocomposites are deeply dealt with in this review paper [4].
Gash et al. discussed and described with immense scientific conscience synthesis, safety, and characterization of energetic nanocomposites with sol-gel chemistry. The preparation and characterization of energetic com- posite materials containing nanometer-sized constituents is an active and promising area throughout the globe [5]. The authors reported the use of sol-gel chemical methods for the manufacture of energetic nanocomposites [5]. The vast scientific vision and the deep scientific profundity in the man- ufacture of energetic nanocomposites are dealt with minute details in this treatise. Some of the research and development initiatives have produced smart materials that have shown very unique and important properties rel- ative to conventional energetic materials. Human scientific endurance and scientific determination, engineering science’s immense ingenuity, and the vast vision of composite science will surely today lead an effective way in the true realization of nanocomposites science and nanotechnology [5].
The authors discussed the sol-gel method to synthesize nanometer-sized ferric oxide that was combined with aluminum fuel to make pyrotech- nic nanocomposites. The authors have also developed with immense scientific vision and conscience a synthetic approach that envisions the preparation of hybrid inorganic/organic energetic nanocomposites [5].
These “smart” materials has been justifiably characterized by thermal methods, energy filtered transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption/description methods, and Fourier Transform spectroscopy, the effective results are discussed in details. The domain of “energetic nanocomposites” can be defined as a class of material that have both a fuel and oxidizer component intimately mixed and where at least one of the component phases meets the size definition [5]. The sol-gel methodology has proven to be extremely useful to the engineering and preparation of
such hybrid materials and there has been innumerable applications and research initiatives in this area. Scientific vision, scientific fortitude, and deep scientific ingenuity stand as immense pillars in this entire report.
The challenges of nanocomposites synthesis are deeply related in this well- researched treatise [5].
Jancar et al. deeply discussed with immense scientific farsightedness current issues in research on structure-property relationships in polymer nanocomposites [6]. The vast vision of science, the technological and engi- neering profundity, and the needs of modern science will surely open new avenues of challenge and scientific fortitude in the domain of nanotech- nology and material science in decades to come [6]. The primary objective of this article is to ensure the state of the art regarding the deep scientific understanding and prediction of the macroscale properties of polymers reinforced with nanometer-sized solid inclusions over a vast temperature range. The scientific issues, the scientific ingenuity, and the deep scientific divination in the field of polymer nanocomposites are deeply discussed in this paper [6]. The authors discussed in deep details effects of nanoparticles on the glass formation in polymer composites, nanoparticle self-assembly, and issues related to blends of nanoparticles and block copolymers.
Scientific regeneration, deep scientific rejuvenation, and vast scientific vision are the needs of human society today. Technological challenges in validation and applications in nano-composites are immense and ground-breaking today. In this entire chapter, the author reiterates the vast needs of composite science and material science towards the scientific and engineering emancipation globally today. Human scientific research thus will open a newer era and thus usher in a world of greater scientific eman- cipation and realization [21–26].