Smita Mohanty is working as a Senior Scientist at the Laboratory for Advanced Research in Polymeric Materials (LARPM), an exclusive R&D wing of Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET), at Bhubaneswar, India. She has 55 research publications and 5 patents to her credit. Sanjay Kumar Nayak is the Professor & Chair of LARPM. For 4 years he has been heading the operations of 15 CIPET centers situated at 22 locations in India. He has published more than 150 research papers and 5 patents. B. S. Kaith is a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology Jalandhar, India and has more than 150 research papers in national and international journals. Susheel Kalia is Assitant Professor in the department of Chemistry, Bahra University, India.

• Part I: Nanomaterials 1 Cellulose Nanofibers: Synthesis, Properties and Applications 3 Mahuya Das and Rupa Bhattacharyya1.1 Introduction 31.2 Synthesis of Cellulose Nanofibers 41.3 Properties of Cellulose Nanofibers 141.4 Applications of Nanocellulose Fibers 281.5 Conclusion 32References 33 2 Bacterial Nanocellulose: Synthesis, Properties and Applications 39 M.L. Foresti, P. Cerrutti and A. Vazquez2.1 Introduction 392.2 Bacterial Nanocellulose Synthesis 412.3 Bacterial Nanocellulose Properties 492.4 Bacterial Nanocellulose Applications 522.5 Conclusions 57References 58 3 Carbon Nanofibers: Synthesis, Properties and Applications 63 Tanmoy Rath3.1 Introduction 633.2 Carbon Nanofiber Structure and Defects 653.3 Synthesis 673.4 Growth Mechanism of CNFs 773.5 Properties 783.6 Applications 823.7 Conclusion 84References 85 4 Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis, Properties and Applications 89 Raghunandan Sharma Poonam Benjwal and Kamal K. Kar4.1 Introduction 894.2 Carbon Nanostructures 914.3 Structure: Chirality 974.4 Synthesis 994.5 Characterizations 1034.6 Properties 1084.7 Applications 1124.8 Conclusions 131Acknowledgement 132References 1325 Graphene: Synthesis, Properties and Application 139 Subash Chandra Sahu, Aneeya K. Samantara, Jagdeep Mohanta, Bikash Kumar Jena and Satyabrata Si5.1 Introduction 1405.2 History of Graphene 1425.3 Natural Occurrence 1435.4 Carbon Allotropes 1445.5 Molecular Structure and Chemistry of Graphene 1475.6 Properties of Graphene 1475.7 Synthesis of Graphene 1535.8 Biomedical Application of Graphene 1555.9 Graphene in Energy 1665.10 Graphene in Electronics 1745.11 Graphene in Catalysis 1775.12 Graphene Composites 1775.13 Conclusion and Perspective 179Acknowledgement 180References 181 6 Nanoclays: Synthesis, Properties and Applications 195 Biswabandita Kar and Dibyaranjan Rout6.1 Introduction 1956.2 Structure and Properties of Nanoclays 196Contents ix6.3 Synthesis of Polymer-Clay Nanocomposites 2036.4 Applications of Nanoclays 2066.5 Conclusion 211References 212 7 Applications for Nanocellulose in Polyolefins-Based Composites 215 Alcides Lopes Leao, Bibin Mathew Cherian, Suresh Narine, Mohini Sain, Sivoney Souza and Sabu Thomas7.1 Introduction 2157.2 Flexural Strength 224References 227 8 Recent Progress in Nanocomposites Based on Carbon Nanomaterials and Electronically Conducting Polymers 229 Jayesh Cherusseri and Kamal K. Kar8.1 Introduction 2308.2 Electronically Conducting Polymers 2308.3 Carbon Nanomaterials 2338.4 Why Nanocomposites? 2358.5 Electronically Conducting Polymer/Fullerene Nanocomposites 2368.6 Electronically Conducting Polymer/Carbon Nanofiber Nanocomposites 2408.7 Electronically Conducting Polymer/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites 2438.8 Electronically Conducting Polymer/Graphene Nanocomposites 2468.9 Applications 2498.10 Conclusions 252Acknowledgement 253References 253 Part II: Nanocomposites Based on Inorganic Nanoparticles 9 Nanocomposites Based on Inorganic Nanoparticles 259 M. Balasubramanian, and P. Jawahar9.1 Introduction 2609.2 Processing of Clay-Polymer Nanocomposites (CPN) 2739.3 Particulate-Polymer Nanocomposites Processing 2839.4 Characterization of Polymer Nanocomposites 2929.5 Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites 3019.6 Application of Nanocomposites 336References 342xii Contents 10 Polymer Nanocomposites Reinforced with Functionalized Carbon Nanomaterials: Nanodiamonds, Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene 347 F. Navarro-Pardo, A.L. Martínez-Hernández and C. Velasco-Santos10.1 Introduction 34810.2 Synthesis of Carbon Nanomaterials 34910.3 Functionalization 35110.4 Methods of Nanocomposite Preparation 35810.5 Properties 36010.6 Concluding Remarks 386References 386 Part III: Green Nanocomposites 11 Green Nanocomposites from Renewable Resource-Based Biodegradable Polymers and Environmentally Friendly Blends 403 P. J. Jandas, S. Mohanty and S. K. Nayak11.1 Introduction 40411.2 Organically Modified Layered Silicates Reinforced Biodegradable Nanocomposites: New Era of Polymer Composites 40711.3 Environmentally Friendly Polymer Blends from Renewable Resources 42511.4 Applications and Prototype Development 43611.5 Future Perspectives 43611.6 Conclusion 437References 438 Part IV: Applications of Polymer Nanocomposites 12 Nanocomposites for Device Applications 445 Sreevalsa VG12.1 Introduction 44612.2 Nonvolatile Memory Devices 44712.3 Fabrication of Nonvolatile Memory Devices Utilizing Graphene Materials Embedded in a Polymer Matrix 45112.4 Electric-Field-Induced Resistive Switching 45212.5 Nanocomposite Solar Cells 45512.6 Thin-Film Capacitors for Computer Chips 45712.7 Solid Polymer Electrolyes for Batteries 45712.8 Automotive Engine Parts and Fuel Tanks 45812.9 Oxygen and Gas Barriers 45912.10 Printing Technologies 45912.11 Capacitors 46112.12 Inductors 46112.13 Optical Waveguides 46212.14 Low-K and Low-Loss Composites 46312.15 ZnO-Based Nanocomposites 463xiv Contents12.16 Functional Polymer Nanocomposites 46412.17 Plasmonics 46412.18 Polymer Nanocomposites 46512.19 Magnetically Active Nanocomposites 47512.20 Nanocomposites of Nature 479References 479 13 Polymer Nanocomposites for Energy Storage Applications 483 Sutapa Ghosh and Naresh Chilaka13.1 Introduction 48313.2 Energy Storage Mechanism in Supercapacitor and Batteries 48513.3 Synthesis of Conducting Polymers 48813.4 Characterization of Nanocomposites: Structure, Electrical, Chemical Composition and Surface Area 49113.5 Conducting Polymer Nanocomposites for Energy Storage Application 49413.6 Future of Graphene and Conducting Polymer Nancomposites 49913.7 Conclusions and Future Research Initiatives 500References 501 14 Polymer Nanocomposites for Structural Applications 505 M. Mollo and C. Bernal14.1 Introduction 50614.2 Nanocomposite Fibers 51014.3 Nano-Enhanced Conventional Composites 51214.4 Nano-Enhanced All-Polymer Composites 51314.5 Single Polymer Nanocomposites 51414.6 Summary, Conclusions and Future Trends 515Contents xvReferences 517 15 Nanocomposites in Food Packaging 519 Mahuya Das15.1 Introduction 51915.2 Nanoreinforcements in Food Packaging Materials 52315.3 Polymer Matrix for Nanocomposite 53815.4 Recent Trends in Packaging Developed by Application of Nanocomposites 54115.5 Application of Nanocomposites as Nanosensor for Smart/Intelligent Packaging 55115.6 Conclusion 556References 557Index 573