Nanodiamonds nanocomposite properties

Carbon-based polymer nano composites represent an interesting type of advanced materials with structural characteristics that allow them to be applied in a variety of fields. Functionalization of carbon nanomaterials provides homogeneous dispersion and strong interfacial interaction when they are incorporated into polymer matrices. These features confer superior properties to the polymer nanocomposites. This chapter focuses on nanodiamonds, carbon nanotubes and graphene due to their importance as reinforcement fillers in polymer nanocomposites. The most common methods of synthesis and functionalization of these carbon nanomaterials are explained and different techniques of nanocomposite preparation are briefly described. The performance achieved in polymers by the introduction of carbon nanofillers in the mechanical and tribological properties is highlighted, and the hardness and scratching behavior of the nanocomposites are also discussed. 

Keywords Nanodiamonds, carbon nanotubes, graphene, functionalization, polymer nanocomposites, mechanical properties, tribological properties... 

MR Ayatollahi, E Ahshahi, S Doagou-R, and S. Shadlou, Tribological and mechanical properties of low content nanodiamond/epoxy nanocomposites. Composites Part B Engineering, 43 (8), 3425-3430, 2012. 

The purpose of providing a brief overview on recent reviews of nanocomposite materials that discuss synthesis, structure properties, and applications is to bring to the reader s attention the nascence of this field and justify the rare availability of degradation studies of these materials when we have only recently embarked on our journey to understanding the fundamentals about them. Nevertheless, a few examples of degradation studies of nanocomposite materials are provided with the hope of advances towards mechanistic aspects of degradation with nanomaterials components. Chrisaffis et al [56, 57] report studies on the decomposition mechanisms of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) nanocomposites with two different types of nano fillers multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and carbon nanodiamonds (NDs). sPS is a semicrystalline polymer considered to be a... 

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