A polymer nanocomposite is created by introducing nanoparticulates into a macroscopic polymer matrix. Polymer nanocomposites represent a new class of material alternative to conventional filled polymers and possess some extremely interesting properties. The alteration/ enhancement of the properties of these materials can partially be attributed to the fact that the properties of the nanoparticulate fillers are substantially different/better than that of the micrometer-scale fillers and partially owing to the fact that when a good dispersion is obtained the filler-matrix interfacial area tends to be dramatically larger when compared to that in traditional composites. This paper presents an overview of past work done on the mechanical characterization of one such type of polymer matrix nanocomposite, the carbon-nanotube-reinforced polymer-matrix composite. The primary emphasis is on the properties of the filler/matrix interface and the methods used for interfacial charaterization.
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