A review on the role of interface in mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of polymer composites

Abstract

Composite materials and especially polymer composites are widely used in daily life and different industries due to their vastly different properties and design flexibility. It is known that the properties of the composites are strongly related to the properties of its constituents. However, it has been reported in many studies, experimentally and by simulations, that the characteristics of the composites do not follow the rule of mixing. It means that in addition to properties of the constituents, there are other parameters affecting the final physicochemical properties of composites. The interfacial interactions between fillers and host is one of the factors which can strongly affect the properties of the composite. In this review, we summarized the type of interactions between the constituents, their improvement techniques, interaction measurement methods, and the effects of interfacial interactions on thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of composites. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]