As the field of multifunctional polymer nanocomposites (MNCs) grows to provide new avenues for advancement of aerospace materials, some challenges remain for optimizing material properties. Characterization of local properties of nanocomposites, especially at the interphase region, has been of prime interest for a long time. Interphase is defined by a localized region between a filler particle and the surrounding matrix, which is known to influence the performance of MNCs. Detailed characterization at this length scale is critical for understanding the influence of nanofiller on the composite. Such information is vital for the development of advanced materials and next-generation high-performance computational models. This chapter is focused on methods of interphase characterization using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy with infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR). Each characterization technique is able to independently give useful information about a sample; however, the ability to compare AFM-IR, AFM, and SEM images of the same region is invaluable for gaining a comprehensive understanding of the material. While AFM and AFM-IR are able to nondestructively inspect mechanical and chemical properties on the smallest possible length scales, SEM is vital for ensuring that the AFM and AFM-IR images are accurate representations of morphology, free of scanning artifacts.


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    Title :

    Advanced Characterization of Multifunctional Nanocomposites


    Additional title:

    Women in Engineering and Science


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2020-05-21


    Size :

    17 pages





    Type of media :

    Article/Chapter (Book)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English