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Greater than the sum: Synergy and emergent properties in nanoparticle–polymer composites

  • Obtaining Ultimate Functionalities in Nanocomposites
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Abstract

The ongoing pursuit of multifunctional soft materials that can impact a wide range of technological challenges, ranging from information processing to energy storage and transducing devices, has resulted in the development of hybrid materials composed of nanoparticles (NPs) dispersed in polymers. Beyond the simple preparation of composites that have the additive value of the individual components, this review discusses recent work and trends in composites that exhibit novel synergistic or emergent properties arising from combining the components. In particular, we highlight recent examples of composites in which NP assembly within polymers leads to enhancement or changes of the NP properties and how introducing NPs into a polymer can cause significant changes in the polymer’s intrinsic properties.

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Acknowledgments

M.A.F. and S.C.H. acknowledge support from the US Department of Energy, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, at Los Alamos National Laboratory (Contract DE-AC52-06NA25396). D.L.H. acknowledges support from the US Department of Energy, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, at Sandia National Laboratory. Sandia National Laboratories is a multiprogram laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the US Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

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  1. Materials Physics & Applications Division, Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA

    Millicent A. Firestone & Steven C. Hayden

  2. Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Sandia National Laboratories, USA

    Dale L. Huber

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  1. Millicent A. Firestone
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Firestone, M.A., Hayden, S.C. & Huber, D.L. Greater than the sum: Synergy and emergent properties in nanoparticle–polymer composites. MRS Bulletin 40, 760–767 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2015.202

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