Polymers, Copolymers, Block Copolymers and Nanoparticles

Dear Colleagues,

The discovery of polymers provided a new class of materials characterized by reduced weight, good mechanical and thermal properties, and no corrosion. These general features have been further improved by linking various macromolecular chains via covalent bonds into complex block copolymers. The recent discovery of nanomaterials and of their unique physical and chemical properties is now reshaping the potential applications of polymer-based materials and their nanocomposites. Typically, we can distinguish three main directions significantly affected by the nano-revolution.

1. The intrinsic nano induced effects reflects the consequences of the confinement at submicron scale of polymers, copolymers, and block copolymers. For polymer-based materials, the main effects are reflected by important shifts in the glass and melting/crystallization phenomena and temperatures.
2. The extrinsic nano-effects result from the submicron size of the filler, which shows engineered physical properties, designed to obtain nanocomposites with designed physical and chemical features.
3. The combined nano-behavior is a non-quantum contribution triggered by the huge surface area of the nanoparticles. The polymeric matrix that embeds the nanoparticles produces a very this interphase between the nanofiller and the bulk polymeric matrix, with modified physical features. As the total area of nanoparticles is increased, a specific limit, where the volume of the interphase exceeds the volume of the bulk polymeric matrix is reached and the surface features of the nanocomposites are becoming dominant over the old bulk (volume) features. This transition has a particular relevance in the case of nanoparticles dispersed within block copolymer, due to the competition with another thermodynamic property: the self-assembly of polymer blends and block copolymers.

This Special Issue aims to theoretical and experimental articles focused on the above-mentioned aspects in polymers, copolymers, block copolymers, polymer-based composites, and nanocomposites. Studies on modified (such as improved mechanical properties, enhanced physical properties) or new (such as electrical conductivity in insulating polymeric matrices) physical, chemical, and structural features due to submicron confinement or addition of nanoparticles are welcomed. Studies on the lifetime and degradation of confined polymeric materials and (nano)composites are also welcomed.

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• polymer
• block copolymer
• self-assembly
• nanoparticles
• confinement
• physical properties
• phase transitions
• surface to bulk properties