Highly dispersed nanoscale particles in polymer matrices are currently
attracting great interest in many fields of chemistry, physics, and
materials science. This book presents and analyzes the essential data on
nanoscale metal clusters dispersed in, or chemically bonded with
polymers. Special attention is paid to the in situ synthesis of the
nanocomposites, their chemical interactions, and the size and
distribution of the particles in the polymer matrix. Numerous novel
nanocomposites are described with regard to their mechanical,
electrophysical, optical, magnetic, catalytic, and biological
properties. Their applications, present and future, are outlined. The
book is addressed both to researchers who actively use these materials
and to students entering this multidisciplinary field.