Nanocomposites and nanomaterials

Polymer and inorganic glass-ceramics nanocomposites 
filled with luminescent oxides

S.G. Nedilko

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Volodymyrska St. 64/13, Kyiv 01601, Ukraine. 

It is known that intermediate regions are formed between the initial phases of the composites and structure of such interphase regions does not correspond to the composition and structure of the initial phases. The contribution of the interphase to the properties of the material and the interaction between the matrix and the initial phases, may be clarified by the difference in characteristics of simple "filled matrix" and "composite based on that matrix". 
The role of the interphases in determining characteristics of hybrid nanocomposite materials is discussed in the contribution. Suitable literature data and the results of our own experimental and computer simulation studies were used for this discussion. 
The main direction of interphase behaviour in composite material study is a determination of the relationships between the properties of the material, on the one hand, and the atomic and energy structure, composition of the object, the size of its components - on the other hand. Although the mechanisms of interaction between any possible components of the composite, in principle, are predictable, nevertheless, their role and contribution in the case of a particular type, especially - nanoscale composite material (nanocomposite) containing oxides fillers needs to be clarified.
    These features are discussed here on the base of results obtained for nanocomposites of three types where nanocrystalline dielectric oxides fillers were embedded into: 1) the glass oxide dielectric matriсes; 2) the polymer matriсes, particularly, microcrystalline cellulose and nanocellulose; 3) carbon nanoforms (nanotubes, graphene and graphene oxide. Optical, electron and atomic force scanning microscopy methods as well as XRD, diffuse optical reflectance and photoluminescence methods were used for study mechanisms of phase interactions and interfaces in noted nanostructured composites and the impact of these mechanisms on optical and luminescent macro-characteristics of materials under study. This work is aimed not only to clarify and explain the role of interphases/interfaces, but also to identify the ways to develop materials with properties that can be used as basic for studied composites practical application.
This work was funded by Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.