Abstract
Functionalized graphene–polymer nanocomposites have gained significant attention for their enhanced mechanical, thermal, and antibacterial properties, but the requirement of multi-step processes or hazardous reducing agents to functionalize graphene limits their current applications. Here, we present a single-step synthesis of thermally reduced graphene oxide (TrGO) based on shellac, which is a low-cost biopolymer that can be employed to produce poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/TrGO nanocomposites (PVA–TrGO). The concentration of TrGO varied from 0.1 to 2.0 wt.%, and the critical concentration of homogeneous TrGO dispersion was observed to be 1.5 wt.%, below which strong interfacial molecular interactions between the TrGO and the PVA matrix resulted in improved thermal and mechanical properties. At 1.5 wt.% filler loading, the tensile strength and modulus of the PVA–TrGO nanocomposite were increased by 98.7% and 97.4%, respectively, while the storage modulus was increased by 69%. Furthermore, the nanocomposite was 96% more effective in preventing bacterial colonization relative to the neat PVA matrix. The present findings indicate that TrGO can be considered a promising material for potential applications in biomedical devices.
Highlights
Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a widely used commercial polymer owing to its high transparency, hydrophilicity, and adhesive properties [1,2,3,4]
The present study demonstrates the effect of various concentrations of shellac-derived thermally reduced graphene oxide (TrGO) on the thermal, mechanical, and antibacterial properties of PVA–TrGO nanocomposites
100 μL, at a concentration of 108 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, of the bacterial suspension was added to the surface of the PVA–TrGO nanocomposites
Summary
Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a widely used commercial polymer owing to its high transparency, hydrophilicity, and adhesive properties [1,2,3,4]. Graphene oxide (GO) exhibits homogeneous dispersion properties due to the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups that establish strong interactions with the hydroxyl groups of the polymer matrix [20]. This homogeneous dispersion of GO at intermolecular level helps the efficient load transfer between the filler and the PVA matrix, resulting in significant enhancement of the physicochemical properties of the nanocomposites, even at low filler concentrations. Earlier reports have shown that shellac-derived GO can be used as an active material in the fabrication of sensors and in photocatalytic applications [27,28,29] It exhibits superior adhesion, due to the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups that form strong covalent bonds with the surface. It is expected that this study will help elucidate the effect of the nano-and microscale TrGO reinforcement of a PVA matrix and provide a viable method for the synthesis of polymer nanocomposites used in medical applications requiring improved mechanical and antibacterial properties
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