Nanomaterials (NMs) are gaining significance in technological applications due to their tunable chemical, physical, and mechanical properties and enhanced performance when compared with their bulkier counterparts. This review presents a summary of the general types of NMs and provides an overview of the various synthesis methods of nanoparticles (NPs) and their functionalization via covalent or noncovalent interactions using different methods. It highlights the techniques used for the characterization of NPs and discusses their physical and chemical properties. Due to their unique properties, NMs have several applications and have become part of our daily lives. As a result, nanotoxicity research is gaining attention since some NPs are not easily degraded by the environment. Thus, this review also highlights research efforts into the fate, behavior, and toxicity of different classes of NMs in the environment.

Nanomaterials: Classification, properties, and environmental toxicities

https://hal.umontpellier.fr/hal-02873015/document

Recent progress on core-shell structured BaTiO3@polymer/fluorinated polymers nanocomposites for high energy storage: Synthesis, dielectric properties and applications

Xanthan gum (XG), a naturally occurring microbial exopolysaccharide, is of a great commercial significance. It has demonstrated a significant potential in targeted applications such as advanced drug delivery, wastewater treatment, protein delivery, tissue engineering, and food packaging due to its outstanding physicochemical properties, biodegradability, and non-toxicity. However, certain limitations such as low surface area, poor mechanical performance, thermal stability, and bacterial growth can hinder its uses in specific applications. As a result, there have been various endeavors to modify xanthan gum by means of diverse modification approaches for enhancing its physicochemical properties, and therefore enabling its competence for the needs of drug delivery, tissue engineering, oil recovery, and environmental applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review for providing a comprehensive picture of the advanced chemical treatment, grafting procedures, hydrogel synthesis, bio-nanocomposites containing metal, and metal oxide nanoparticles, graphene, and inorganic clays, along with the fabulous properties obtained for the xanthan derived materials. Furthermore, it exhibits the recent applications for these materials in industrial, biomedical engineering, wastewater treatment, and agricultural fields. In the future, the presented data will be considered a fabulous base for designing the next generation materials to be applied in further advanced uses.

Xanthan gum-derived materials for applications in environment and eco-friendly materials: A review

Biological systems must have the capability to withstand impacts generated during collisions due to combat and defense. Thus, evolution has created complex materials’ architectures at various length scales that are capable of withstanding repeated, low-to-medium-velocity impacts (up to 50 m/s). In this paper, we review impact resistant biological systems with a focus on their recurrent structural design elements, material properties, and energy absorbing mechanisms. We classify these impact resistant structures at the micro- and meso-scales into layered, gradient, tubular, sandwich, and sutured and show how they construct global hierarchical, composite, porous, and interfacial architectures. Additionally, we review how these individual structures and their design parameters can provide a tailored response. We conclude with a future outlook and discussion of their potential for impact resistant bioinspired designs.

A review of impact resistant biological and bioinspired materials and structures

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/pol.20200507

An overview of boron nitride based polymer nanocomposites

Polymer nanocomposites have been investigated for about three decades. To get deep insights into the modifying effects of various nanofillers on mechanical and physical properties of polymer nanocomposites, the three basic aspects of processing, characterization and properties are critically reviewed in this paper. Nanofillers can be classified into three major types of two-dimensional (2D) layered, one-dimensional (1D) fibrous and zero-dimensional (0D) spherical ones and this review thus discusses in detail the processing, characterization and properties of the three types of polymer nanocomposites. It starts with an introduction of various nanoscale fillers such as two-dimensional (2D) nano-clay, graphene and MXene, one dimensional (1D) carbon nanofibers and nanotubes, zero dimensional (0D) silica nanoparticles and ZnO quantum dots as well as nanofiller-polymer interfaces. The processing of these polymer nanocomposites using different methods and the characterization of nanofillers and polymer nanocomposites using various techniques are described. Finally, the mechanical and physical properties of these polymer nanocomposites are discussed by considering the effects of nanofiller type, dispersion and contents; also, interface properties show significant effects on the mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites and are discussed in some details.

Some basic aspects of polymer nanocomposites: A critical review

Tensile creep behavior of short-carbon-fiber reinforced polyetherimide (SCF/PEI) composites is investigated at ambient temperature by short and long creep tests in this work Influences of carbon fiber concentration and applied tensile stress on the creep performance of SCF/PEI composites are studied Four viscoelastic models are employed to quantify the viscoelastic behavior of SCF/PEI composites and the effect of fiber surface treatment is discussed on the creep behavior Short-term creep results show that a relatively high carbon fiber content and fiber surface thermal treatment lead to a relatively high creep resistance In order to accelerate the short-term creep test, the time–temperature superposition principle (TTSP) is employed to detect the long-term creep behavior of SCF/PEI composites at ambient temperature In addition, an attempt has been made to generate a master curve to approximate the long-term creep behavior of the SCF/PEI composites at ambient temperature

Zheng Sun

Papers

Some basic aspects of polymer nanocomposites: A critical review

Tensile creep behavior of short-carbon-fiber reinforced polyetherimide composites

Mechanical, tribological and thermal properties of injection molded short carbon fiber/expanded graphite/polyetherimide composites

Short carbon fiber reinforced epoxy-ionic liquid electrolyte enabled structural battery via vacuum bagging process

Temperature-dependent mechanical properties of polyetherimide composites reinforced by graphene oxide-coated short carbon fibers