Advanced Mechanical Polymer Nanocomposites: From Confined Interphase to Structural Synergy

Abstract

Lightweight and high-performance polymer nanocomposites are essential for diverse applications in structural materials, energy storage, and biomedical devices. Inspired by natural biomaterials with excellent mechanical and functional properties, researchers have made significant progress in designing hierarchical structures. However, the critical role of the confined interphase, which exhibits different dynamics behaviour from the bulk phase molecular chains, in determining nanoscale interactions and controlling macroscopic behaviours has often been underestimated. In this review, we highlight the fundamental understanding of the conformation and propagation depth of the interphase, discuss the transitions in the segmental motion and crystallization behaviour of molecular chains under confinement, and further explore the coupling effects between interphase and geometric spatial structural confinement. We aim to emphasize the concept of synergistic design of confined interphase and spatial construction, ultimately facilitating the rational development of multifunctional polymer nanocomposites with optimized properties.