Structural and Mechanical Characterization of the Reinforcement and Precursors of Micro- and Nanofibrils Reinforced Polymer-Polymer Composites

The mechanical properties of polymer-polymer composites are closely related to their structure on the nanometer and sub-nanometer scale. In general, this structure is changing under load. Thus, in situ structure monitoring methods are expected to become useful tools in the quest to elucidate the relations between structure and properties of the composites. In a further step, the recorded data can be used to identify mechanisms of structure evolution that, ultimately, can be exploited to manufacture polymer-polymer composites tailored to their field of application.