Nanocomposites: How novel macroscale properties can emerge from classical microscale physics

Reghan J. Hill, Canada Research Chair in Colloids for Advanced Materials, McGill. In recent years we've witnessed an unprecedented effort in the scientific and engineering research communities to synthesize nano-particulates and polymers for a bewildering range of technological applications. This talk will discuss several recent theories that have led to compelling quantitative interpretations of experiments where nano-composites have exhibited particularly intriguing membrane properties.