Abstract
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are widely studied as reinforcing fillers for polymers. In many cases the mechanical properties of polymer/CNC nanocomposites do not match the theoretical predictions, arguably on account of CNC aggregation. This problem can be mitigated through the addition of a small amount of a judiciously selected polymeric dispersant that also serves as a binder among the CNCs. We show that the addition of 1–5% w/w poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) has a very significant impact on the mechanical properties of poly(ethylene oxide-co-epichlorohydrin)/CNC nanocomposites. Remarkable improvements of the stiffness and strength were observed at a PVA content as low as 1% w/w, and the extent of reinforcement increased up to a PVA content of 5% w/w, where Young’s modulus, storage modulus, and strength increased by up to 5-fold vis-a-vis the PVA-free nanocomposites. Similar effects were observed for CNC nanocomposites made with polyurethane or poly(methyl acrylate) matrices, demonstrating that the approac...
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