Polymer Nanocomposites for InjectedMolded Applications

Nanocomposites made through Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) technology are gaining much interest recently. Significant efforts are underway to control the nano-structures via innovative synthetic approaches. The properties of nanocomposite materials depend not only on the properties of their individual constituents but also on the homogeneity of nanoparticle distribution and on the interfacial characteristics. Indeed, thermal stability and mechanical properties such as elastic modulus, toughness, electric conductivity and flame retardancy can be enhanced by optimizing the fabrication process and controlling nanoparticle dispersion. The improvements that can be achieved strongly depend on the type of employed nanoparticles; furthermore the nanofillers are not able to ameliorate all the nanocomposite features at the same time. Therefore, a multi nano-dispersion strategy has been investigated. The possibilities of producing materials with tailored physical & electronic properties at low cost could result in interesting applications for the aerospace industry.