ABSTRACT
In contemporary nanoscience and nanotechnology, the field of polymer nanocomposites is witnessing a great interest and activity due to a wide range of applications that can be realized with these materials [1-5]. Being intermediate between molecular and bulk states, nanostructured semiconductor and metallic particles often show characteristic optical, electrical, magnetic, catalytic and other properties. Furthermore, since the mentioned
properties are dependent on their size, these nanoparticles, actually, represent the perfect building blocks for the preparation of new functional materials with adjustable performances. In that sense, using polymers as matrices for inorganic nanoparticles is beneficiary for several reasons. Polymer can be easily processed into desired shapes that are required by a particular application, which is also important from the practical point of view, it shows good long-term stability, toughness and chemical resistance. However, depending on the mode of preparation of the nanocomposite, polymer matrix can also be used to control the growth and the degree of dispersion of nanoparticles. On the other hand, although the prime goal of introducing semiconductor and metal nanoparticles into polymer is a better utilization of their unique properties, these nanoparticles can affect the properties of the matrix to a great extent even if their weight content is quite low. Of course, this is a consequence of the pronounced adsorption of macromolecular chains at high specific surfaces of nanoparticles. Because of this phenomenon, in the present chapter we will pay attention to both the structure and physical properties of the nanoparticles in the synthesized nanocomposites and their influence on the properties of the host matrices.
