1 research outputs found
Synergistic Effect of Halloysite and Cellulose Nanocrystals on the Functional Properties of PVA Based Nanocomposites
PolyÂ(vinyl
alcohol) (PVA) based nanocomposites filled with different
amounts of halloysites (HNTs) and/or cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)
were produced and characterized in terms of mechanical and barrier
properties, thermal stability, and transparency. A significant increase
in tensile strength by more than 70% and an unexpected improvement
in elongation at break were observed for all the PVA nanocomposites
when compared to the pristine PVA. Moreover, the presence of both
CNC and HNTs at the highest loadings of 5 and 3 wt %, respectively,
improved the thermal stability of the PVA matrix and reduced its water
vapor permeability (WVP) by more than 42%. All the developed PVA nanocomposites
maintained their transparency due to the good and homogeneous dispersion
of both the nanofillers in the PVA matrix. Results highlight the synergistic
effect of HNT and CNC on the barrier and mechanical properties of
PVA, mainly due to the establishment of specific interactions between
the OH groups of HNT and CNC particles