ABSTRACT
High aspect ratio carbon-based allotropes have attracted enormous scientific and industrial attention due to their fascinating physicochemical properties and immense potential. In this chapter we will review the properties of fillers like graphene and carbon nanotubes once they are incorporated in a polymer matrix, and their effect on the overall nanocomposite performance. The aim is to provide some insight on the current advances by illustrating the effect such fillers have in properties like electrical and thermal conductivity, gas and liquid permeation, thermal and dimensional stability, rheology and morphology. Still while highlighting these astonishing properties one must not ignore the myriad of scientific and practical problems that have kept these systems from large-scale commercialization. For that reason we will briefly discuss these problems, paying special attention to the efficiency of the filler dispersion in the polymeric matrix, and outline the current trends, concerns and possibilities. We will conclude with a quick overview of the current and potential applications for a number of emerging technologies in the near future.
