Polymer Nanocomposites (PNC) can enhance the mechanical properties over the host polymer. Greater understanding of their microstructure and dynamics is needed to effectively design PNC with improved characteristics. A model system of well-dispersed elongated silica nanoparticles in strongly adsorbed poly(ethylene oxide) is used to investigate the shape effects of nanoparticles with comparison to literature data for other silica particle systems. Quasielastic neutron scattering and neutron spin echo are used to measure polymer segmental dynamics in the interface near the nanoparticle surface and in the bulk polymer. Modified Rouse models quantify the observed results and allow extracting information about dynamics and extent of the polymer-nanoparticle interface. This nanoscale information is connected to rheological measurements to explain the large effect of a small amount of nanoparticles commonly observed in PNC.
