Strong Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) (PVA)/Bamboo Charcoal (BC) Nanocomposite Films with Particle Size Effect

Abstract

In this paper, bamboo charcoals (BCs) were considered as alternative ecofriendly and sustainable carbon-based nanoparticles because of their good affinity with water-soluble biopolymer poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to achieve strong PVA/BC nanocomposites. Two different types of BC particles, namely microdiameter bamboo charcoals (MBCs) and nanodiameter bamboo charcoals (NBCs) were successfully fabricated by the solution casting method. Nanofiller reinforcement effect was investigated from BC particle size and dispersion, morphological structures, and interfacial interactions between BCs and PVA matrices. Overall, the addition of NBCs yields increasingly higher mechanical properties of PVA/BC nanocomposites when compared with that of MBCs. The maximum enhancements in tensile moduli of nanocomposites were achieved up to 123% and 100% with the inclusion of 10 wt % NBCs and MBCs, respectively, whereas corresponding tensile strengths were improved by 110% and 72% with the incorporation of 3 wt % NBCs and MBCs acco...