Nanomaterials are such a stuff, which has at least one dimension in nanometer scale, that is, 1 to 100 nm. Nanomaterials can be classified into two categories viz. nano­structured material and nanophase/nanoparticle materials. Nanostructured materials usually refer to condensed bulk materials that are made of grains (agglomerates), with nanometric size range. The latter are generally the dispersive nanoparticles. Nanotechnology is the study and control of nanomaterial which also deals with the design, fabrication and application of nanostructures. Nanomaterials, a new branch of materials research, are attracting a great deal of attraction because of their poten­tial applications in areas such as optics, electronics, magnetic data storage, catalysis and polymer nanocomposites (PNs).

Incorporation of inorganic/organic nanoparticles as additives into polymer sys­tems has resulted in PNs displaying multifunctional, high performance polymer characteristics beyond what conventional filled polymeric materials acquire. Mul­tifunctional features attributable to PNs consist of improved mechanical proper­ties, thermal properties and/or flame retardency, moisture resistance, chemical re­sistance, decreased permeability, and charge dissipation. Through control/alteration of the nanoscale additives, one can maximize the property enhancements of selected polymers to meet or exceed the needs. Uniform dispersion of these nanoscale ma­terials produces super interfacial area per volume between the nanoparticle and the polymer. There are different types of commercially available nanoparticles such as montmorillonite organoclays, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanotubes, nanosilica, nanotitanium dioxide, nano ZnO and others that can be incorporated into the poly­mer matrix to form PNs.113