Enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties of (Polyvinyl alcohol)-Dialdehyde starch composites via the incorporation of montmorillonite nanofillers

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of nano-size montmorillonite (MMT) in poly(vinyl alcohol)-(dialdehyde starch) (PVOH-DAS) blending system. DAS was initially synthesized through periodate oxidation method, followed by a solution casting procedure to prepare a PVOH-DAS-MMT blend hybrid. Increasing the amount of MMT significantly increased the thermal decomposition temperatures of PVOH-DAS blends. This is because the intercalated MMT particles in the PVOH-DAS matrix could restrict the diffusion of oxygen and volatile gases throughout the PVOH-DAS matrix by delaying the decomposition temperature. The incorporation of MMT particles into the PVOH-DAS matrix has significantly increased the d-spacing and interchain separation of peaks (001) and (002). The effective intercalation of PVOH-DAS matrix into interlayer galleries of MMT particles could increase the interlayer galleries gap distance. Increasing the amounts of MMT has significantly increased the mechanical properties of all PVOH-DAS blends. The intercalation effect of MMT particles in the PVOH-DAS matrix could improve the compatibility between PVOH and DAS phases in the PVOH-DAS matrix by effectively transferring applied stress throughout the polymer matrix. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 23:E128–E141, 2017.