Nanotechnology is the word for today in the world of technology, countless researches in Institutions have sprung a whole new generation of entrepreneurial businesses through industrial funding and sponsorships that are burgeoning with each passing year.
Polymer nanocomposites are materials formed from blending different kinds of nano-sized fibers with the industrial thermosetting or thermoplastic polymers. These blends or composites improve the physical properties of the conventional material such as tensile strength, heat resistance, UV resistance or add new properties to the existing material such as electrical conductivity. The nanopolymers are currently used in automotive industries, packaging, and electronics. The global market for nanopolymer composites has witnessed an average rise of 18 to 25 percent every year and is predicted to reach a value of $750 million by 2020.
Japan is currently making investments in nanotechnology research with approximately 150 companies based on nanotechnology. Also, there are several government programs that are underway on a global scale collaboration.
Initially, started out with nanocomposites, nanotubes, nanoclays, and nanoparticles and now it has grown beyond it both in terms of complexity and scale. Materials such as polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), which are made up of organic and inorganic segments with nanoscale cage structures, nanoplatelets, nanowires, and nanofibers.
Sensors which utilize nano-optical platelets can be easily attached to the ends of the polymeric airbags that transmit signals at the speed of light that could deploy the airbags within micro-seconds, precious time that is needed to save countless lives.
We discussed improving material properties, well nanoclays-filled nanocomposites could replace the usually used thermoplastics with better tensile strength and heat distortion temperature. The automotive industry has developed electroconductive nanopolymers for fuel delivery lines. About 70 percent of the fuel lines in cars built in the USA utilize nanotubes in fuel lines which is required to improve safety by preventing accumulation of static electricity.
With all these possibilities, the future of technology looks very promising with nanopolymers.
"what would the properties of materials be if we could really arrange the atoms the way we want them? They would be very interesting to investigate theoretically." - Richard Feynmanbiopolymers@memeetings.net
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