A Review of the Mechanical Properties and Enhancement Mechanisms of Nanomodified Structural Adhesives in Engineering Joints

ABSTRACT Adhesively bonded joints (ABJs) enable the joining of dissimilar materials, reduce structural weight, and promote uniform stress transfer, supporting their widespread use in construction, aerospace, electronic packaging, and wood processing. However, conventional adhesives often lack sufficient mechanical performance, durability, and functional properties to meet the multi‐performance demands of complex service conditions. Nanomaterials, which possess high surface area, tunable surface chemistry, and intrinsic mechanical strength, pro a promising route to enhance adhesive performance. Publication data from the Web of Science Core Collection show that research on nanomodified ABJs has grown from 104 papers in 2011 to 213 in 2025, indicating sustained interest in this field over the past 15 years. Nevertheless, existing reviews largely focus on performance improvements and provide limited integration of nanomaterial characteristics, interfacial modification mechanisms, and multiscale structure–performance relationships. They also seldom evaluate the suitability and limitations of nanomodification from an application‐driven perspective. This review addresses these gaps by systematically summarizing how nanomaterials enhance ABJ performance, with emphasis on how morphology, surface chemistry, and dispersion influence mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Cross‐scale mechanisms underpinning performance gain are discussed through representative experiments and modeling approaches. The review then compares the engineering relevance of different nanomaterial systems based on key performance requirements in construction, aerospace, electronics, and plywood. Finally, it identifies persistent challenges, including long‐term durability and standardization issues, and outlines future research directions. This review can provide guidance for material design, performance prediction, and application‐specific development of nanomodified ABJs.