Contents


Preface

Over the last few decades, incorporation of fillers in composites has acquired an important place in commercial applications. Initially, these fillers were generally composed of cheap, easily available diluents and were entitled as fillers. However, their ability to tailor the properties of final material has burgeoned and that's why these filler-based composites find different applications in today's fast-growing world. Various organic and inorganic fillers are utilized in composites to enhance the properties and simultaneously reduce the cost of materials. Particulate fillers are responsible for delivering many advantages, namely cost reduction, improved processing, density control, thermal properties, electrical properties, flame retar-

This book embraces all the chapters that are concerned with the effect of incorporating different fillers or particulates on fabricated composites. It delivers a comprehensive study associated with the sections of material science, polymer technology, anisotropic elasticity phenomena, fracture mechanics, applied

mechanics, material synthesis, mechanical and thermomechanical characteristics,

Significant research efforts all around the world are continuing to explore the properties of composite materials. Researchers are collectively focusing their efforts on the use of particulate fillers in composites for miscellaneous applications. To ensure a sustainable future, the use of fillers is the best solution to improve the properties and reduce the ultimate cost of materials. This book is solely focused on fillers, and some of the important topics include but are not limited to synthesis, characterization, and application of organic and inorganic particulate-filled composites.

Several critical issues and suggestions for future work are comprehensively discussed in this book with the hope that it will provide a deep insight into the state of the art of fillers. I would like to thank the publisher and Ms. Maja Bozicevic for invaluable help in the organization of the editing process. Next, a special thanks go to those who invested their time and effort in the compilation of the material that became this book. Many authors who contributed their expertise and perspectives are clearly the backbone of this work and they deserve the lion's share of the

**Dr. Amar Patnaik**

Jaipur, India

Malaviya National Institute of Technology,

dancy, enhanced mechanical properties, and wear resistance.

tribological behavior, etc.

commendations.
