Polymer/filler composition, optical clarity

Table VII Optical Clarity of Polymer/Filler Composition Silica...

In recent years, the limits of optimizing composite properties of traditional micrometer-scale composite fillers have been reached due to the compromises of the obtained properties. Stiffness is traded for toughness, or toughness is obtained at the cost of optical clarity. In addition, regions of high or low volume fraction of filler often results in macroscopic defects which lead to breakdown or failure of the material. Recently, a new research area has provided the opportimity to overcome the limitations of traditional micrometer-scale polymer composites. This new investigation area is the nanoscale filled pwlymer composites where the filler is <100 nm in at least one dimension. 

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