A method of manufacturing a composite structure, the method comprising: positioning a polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer adjacent to a first fiber layer, wherein the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer comprises: at least one polymer; and derivatized nanoparticles included in the molecular backbone of the at least one polymer, wherein the nanoparticles are derivatized to include one or more functional groups; and positioning a second fiber layer adjacent to the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer characterized in that the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer is produced by: mixing at least one monomer with the derivatized nanoparticles; and melt spinning the polymer and derivatized nanoparticles to form the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer, wherein the polymer is in form of thermoplastic fibers selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyimide, polyamideimide, polyester, polybutadiene, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyetherimide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylsulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetherketone, polyethertherketone, polyarylamide, polyketone, polyphthalamide, polyphenylenether, polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the nanoparticles have a number average particle size of less than one micrometer determined according to the description and are present in the amount of 0.001 to 10 wt.-% based on the total weight of the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer. positioning a polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer adjacent to a first fiber layer, wherein the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer comprises: at least one polymer; and derivatized nanoparticles included in the molecular backbone of the at least one polymer, wherein the nanoparticles are derivatized to include one or more functional groups; and at least one polymer; and derivatized nanoparticles included in the molecular backbone of the at least one polymer, wherein the nanoparticles are derivatized to include one or more functional groups; and positioning a second fiber layer adjacent to the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer characterized in that the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer is produced by: mixing at least one monomer with the derivatized nanoparticles; and melt spinning the polymer and derivatized nanoparticles to form the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer, mixing at least one monomer with the derivatized nanoparticles; and melt spinning the polymer and derivatized nanoparticles to form the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer, wherein the polymer is in form of thermoplastic fibers selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyimide, polyamideimide, polyester, polybutadiene, polyurethane, polypropylene, polyetherimide, polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenylsulfone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyetherketone, polyethertherketone, polyarylamide, polyketone, polyphthalamide, polyphenylenether, polybutylene terephthalate and polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the nanoparticles have a number average particle size of less than one micrometer determined according to the description and are present in the amount of 0.001 to 10 wt.-% based on the total weight of the polymer-nanoparticle-enhanced interlayer.