Nanocomposites

Engineered Interfaces and Interphases in Nanocomposites: From Nanoscale Design to Multifunctional Performance

Interfaces and interphases play a critical role in determining the mechanical and functional performance of nanocomposites. Rather than acting simply as boundaries between constituent materials, interphases can develop distinct chemical, structural and mechanical characteristics that influence stress transfer, damage initiation, fracture behaviour and functional response. Recent advances in nanomaterials and surface engineering provide new opportunities to deliberately design these regions. Nanoparticles, nanotubes, graphene-based materials, nanowires, metal oxide nanostructures and other nanoscale architectures can be introduced at or near interfaces to tailor adhesion, toughness, impact resistance, electrical and thermal properties, sensing capability and environmental durability. This has led to increasing interest in treating the interphase as an actively engineered material domain that can connect nanoscale design with the overall performance of composite materials.

Understanding and controlling interphase behaviour is important because nanoscale changes at an interface can have a significant influence on the macroscopic behaviour of a composite. However, important challenges remain in quantitatively characterising local interphase properties, understanding stress transfer and damage mechanisms, and establishing clear relationships between nanoscale structure and composite-level performance. In addition, many promising approaches demonstrated at laboratory scale still need to be translated into reliable and scalable manufacturing processes. Advances in spectroscopy, microscopy, nanomechanical testing, multiscale modelling and data-driven methods now offer new opportunities to address these challenges. Bringing these approaches together can improve our understanding of interphase mechanisms and support the development of nanocomposites with improved mechanical performance, damage tolerance and multifunctionality. A coordinated collection of research in this area can therefore help connect nanoscale science with practical composite design and engineering applications.

This Article Collection welcomes contributions on the design, characterisation, modelling, processing and application of engineered interfaces and interphases in nanocomposites. Topics may include nanostructured interfaces using nanoparticles, nanotubes, graphene, nanowires, metal oxides and other nanoscale architectures; surface modification and functionalisation of fibres and particles; interfacial adhesion, stress transfer, debonding and fracture; and the effects of engineered interphases on toughness, fatigue, impact resistance and durability. Contributions addressing multifunctional interfaces for sensing, electrical conductivity, thermal transport and related functions are also encouraged. Further areas include advanced spectroscopic, microscopic and nanomechanical characterisation; multiscale, micromechanical, finite element and phase-field modelling; data-driven and machine-learning approaches; process–structure–property relationships; scalable manufacturing; and sustainable or recycled nanocomposites. Original research and review articles that provide new understanding of the relationships between nanoscale interphase design and composite performance are particularly welcome.

Keywords: Interphase Engineering; Nanocomposites; Interface Characterisation; Multifunctional Composites; AI/Machine Learning/Multiscale Modelling

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is [7 June 2027].

Please contact [Agnes Zhou] at [Agnes.Zhou@taylorandfrancis.com] with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

Please be sure to select "Engineered Interfaces and Interphases in Nanocomposites: From Nanoscale Design to Multifunctional Performance" from the drop-down menu in the submission system.

Dr. Kyungil Kong is a research scientist in composite materials and manufacturing with experience in interface and interphase engineering, advanced manufacturing, and multifunctional composites. His research focuses on interphase-controlled composite intermediate technology, multifunctional composites, and in-situ sensing technologies. He has also worked on composite manufacturing, recycled materials, and structural characterisation. His current research interests include engineered interphases, nanocomposites, multiscale characterisation, and data-driven approaches for advanced composite materials.

Dr. Patrick C. Lee is a Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto, where he also earned his M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering after completing his B.Sc. at the University of British Columbia. Following postdoctoral research at the University of Minnesota, he joined The Dow Chemical Company in 2008 as a Research Scientist and Project Leader before becoming an Assistant Professor at the University of Vermont in 2014 and returning to the University of Toronto in 2018. His research focuses on polymer processing and characterization, with particular emphasis on processing–structure–property relationships in hybrid nanocomposites and polymer foams. He has published 134 journal papers, more than 160 refereed conference abstracts and papers, six book chapters, and holds 32 filed or issued patent applications, while serving as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on numerous government- and industry-funded projects. Dr. Lee was elected a Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers in 2026 and a Fellow of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering in 2024, and his other honours include the CSME G.H. Duggan Medal, NSF CAREER Award, Polymer Processing Society Morand Lambla Award, AKCSE Early Achievement Award, Hanwha Advanced Materials Non-Tenured Faculty Award, and three SPE Best Paper Awards.