Polymer nanocomposite foams, polymer foams with nanoparticles, are an intriguing class of materials with unique structure and properties. The shape, size and surface chemistry of nanoparticles can be tailored to control the foam structure, and therefore, foam properties. Nanoparticles also add functionality to polymer foams. In this paper, we briefly review the recent developments in polymer nanocomposites and nanocomposite foams. This is followed by an extensive discussion regarding the role of nanoparticles in foam morphology and properties. Finally, the current and future trends of polymer nanocomposite foams are summarized. Both challenges and opportunities in this field are discussed.
Limeng
Chen received a B.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China and a Ph.D. degree in Materials Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is currently a R&D Engineer at Cabot Corporation. Deniz Rende is currently working as a post-doctoral researcher at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA. She received her Ph.D. degree from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Bogazici University, Turkey. Her current research focuses on supercritical ξuid assisted processing of polymer nanocomposites and foams.