Nanocomposites, fullerene applications

During the past decades, nanotechnology has attracted great attention due to its marvellous potential applications in numerous areas [90]. Polymer nanocomposite is a unique addition in the nanotechnology family. In polymer nanocomposite, one phase is dispersed in another phase in nanometer level [19]. Different types of reinforcing fillers such as sodium montmo-rillonite, sodium bentonite, layered double hydroxide, exfohated graphite, fullerene, carbon nanofiber, and carbon nanotube have been successfully used in the preparation of polymer nanocomposites [19]. Recently,... 

Zero-, one-, and two-dimensional CNMs have attracted the attention of researchers. These include fullerenes, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes, and graphene. The advancements in the various synthesis procedures have envisaged the preparation of various CNMs with different shapes and sizes. Nanotechnology has paved the way to utilize these nanomaterials either individually or as nanocomposites for cutting-edge applications in chemical industry, materials science, biology, medicine, and other sectors. 

Thermodynamic equilibrium and stability are important considerations in the formation of nanocomposites. LCST and UCST behavior can be seen in polymeric systems. The four thermodynamically stable forms of carbon are diamond, graphite, Cgo Buckminister fullerenes, and carbon nanotubes. At some point dnring miniaturization, atom-by-atom quantum analysis would be more applicable compared with macroscale Newtonian mechanical treatment. Layer rearrangement can happen due to Marongoni instability. 

A great number of reviews concerning selective aspects of fullerenes and carbon nanotube (CNT) chemistry and physics have been published. The fundamentals of carbon nanostructures connected with fullerenes and CNTs were summarized by Kratschmer [150], Dresselhaus et al. [151] and Bernholc et al. [152], The electronic and structural properties of CNTs were described by Mintmre et al. [153]. An overview of the synthesis and application of CNT-polymer nanocomposites can be found in recently published reviews [154-162] and in a comprehensive review with over 250 references cited in a tabular format [158]. Recent results on electrochemical formation of polymers containing fullerenes, and studies of their... 

The high compatibility of sol-gel materials with organic molecules offers the possibility to develop new types of hybrid materials and devices. The inclusion of fiillerenes and fullerene derivatives represents an interesting example of the potentiality of sol-gel processing in this field. Even if several potential applications have been shown for sol-gel-fullerene nanocomposites a larger extension of the basic research in the next future is expected to widen the perspectives of these materials. 

Rapoport, L., Fleischer, N. and Tenne, R. (2005a) Applications of WS2 (M0S2) inorganic nanotubes and fullerene-like nanoparticles for solid lubrication and for structural nanocomposites. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 15 (18), 1782-1788. 

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