CHAPTER 4 Fumed Silica Reinforced Nanocomposites Dimitrios N. Bikiaris* and Alexandros A. Vassiliou Laboratory of Organic Chemical Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece * dbic@chem.auth.gr Table of Contents 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 2. Fumed Silica ...................................................................................................... 2.1 Preparation and properties ...................................................................... 2.2 Surface properties and characterization .................................................. 2.3 Surface modified fumed silica ................................................................ 3. Thermoplastic polymeric matrices .................................................................. 3.1 Polyesters ................................................................................................ 3.1.1 Poly(ethylene terephthalate) ................................................... 3.1.2 Poly(İ-caprolactone) ............................................................... 3.2 Polyolefins .............................................................................................. 3.2.1 Isotactic poly(propylene) ........................................................ 3.2.2 Linear low density poly(ethylene) .......................................... 4. Thermoset polymeric matrices ........................................................................ 5. Biocomposites .................................................................................................... 5.1 Chitosan .................................................................................................. 5.2 Poly(n-vinyl pyrrolidone) ....................................................................... 5.1 Poly(vinyl alcohol) ................................................................................. References ............................................................................................................... .