ABSTRACT
Polymer is defined as any class of natural or synthetic substances composed of macromolecules that are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers. This soft material can be categorized according to its viscoelastic properties into thermoplastic, thermoset, and elastomer. Due to the light-weight, improved chemical resistance, low viscosity, and ease of processing of polymers, they were widely used as matrices for the development of high-performance composite materials by combining them with inorganic micro- and nanofillers or engineering fibers. In this chapter, the structure, processing, and the properties of the different kinds of polymeric matrices are presented and discussed.
