  Some of our recent studies of the structure and mechanical properties of a
special type of nanocomposite are reviewed here. In silica-latex systems, a
latex film with silica inclusions is formed from a colloidal solution of both
components. During drying of the solution, the formation of silica domains can
be controlled via the physico-chemical properties of the solution. Well-defined
silica aggregates embedded in a polymer matrix can be generated, and the
mechanical properties of the resulting nanocomposite have been shown to be
directly correlated to the average structure.
