PVA Nanocomposite Research Articles

Chitosan/PVA-supported silver nanoparticles for azo dyes removal: fabrication, characterization, and assessment of antioxidant activity

The photocatalytic activity of AgNPs@chitosan/PVA nanocomposite was tested against different dyes such as methylene blue, methylene orange, and methylene red as an effective photocatalyst.

Studying the effect of addition of lithium titanate on crystallinity and electrical properties of PPY-C /PVA nanocomposite for optoelectronic applications

This study involved the preparation of novel samples of polypyrrole-doped carbon/polyvinyl alcohol/lithium titanate nanocomposites, PPY-C/PVA/LiO, with a tuning of LiO concentration using the casting technique to be applicable in different applications. Various analytical procedures were employed to examine their optical, morphological, structural, and electrical properties. It was decided that the PPY-C/PVA is an amorphous structure that became crystalline when LiO NPs were added. This happened because the functional groups of the PPY-C/PVA and LiO NPs interacted with each other. It confirmed that by appearing the new characteristic diffraction peaks of LiO and the new vibrational stretching peak at 588 cm−1 of the metal-O bond and deducing the uniform distribution of the blend matrix with an increase in the number of white dots, it served as evidence of the impact of surface roughness on tuning the electrical properties of the nanocomposite. Also, studies on conductivity showed that as the concentration of LiO goes up, AC conductivity, dielectric constant, and dielectric loss all go down. This is because more nanofiller is added, more immobile ions form in clumped areas, and dipole polarization goes down. Also, adding LiO NPs to the polymeric matrix makes the matrix's chains less flexible, which raises the crystallinity ratio. The obtained results suggest that the prepared PPY-C/PVA/LiO nanocomposite is promising candidates in the fabrication of nano-electronic devices.

3D g-C3N4 porous nanoribbons pillared-MXene/ PVA nanocomposite: An architecture with high dielectric, breakdown strength, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength characteristics

In polymer nanocomposites with conductive fillers, obtaining boosted dielectric constant, breakdown strength, lower dielectric loss concurrently, and mixing to build a homogeneous structure is challenging. In this work, 3D g-C3N4 porous nanoribbons pillared-MXene/PVA nanocomposite (MXene/CNNR/PVA) was fabricated. The solution casting method was utilized for embedding Mxene/CNNR into poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) to produce MXene/CNNR/PVA dielectric composites. The maximum observed electrical displacement is 10.95 μC/cm2 at (T = 25 °C and E = 400 MV/m). Furthermore, the obtained density of discharged energy is 18.11 J/cm3, much higher than that of pristine PVA (4.21 J/cm3 at E = 200 MV/m). The relative permittivity of 3.5 wt% ternary composites (MXene/CNNR/PVA) at 25 °C and 1000 Hz is 25.1, and the loss is just 0.03. Moreover, the combined use of MXene and CNNR results in a synergistic effect; the MXene/CNNR/PVA composite films exhibit more incredible mechanical characteristics compared to pure PVA nanocomposite modified by MXene alone, with notable increases in tensile strength and Young’s modulus while retaining the majority of its elasticity.

Eco-Friendly Silver Nanoparticles/Chitosan/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Composites Exhibit Remarkable EMI Shielding Capabilities and Outstanding Thermal Conductivities.

The integration and miniaturization of contemporary electronics have led to significant challenges in dealing with electromagnetic (EM) radiation and heat accumulation. Despite these issues, achieving high thermal conductivity (TC) and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) in polymer composite films remains an exceptionally difficult task. In this work, we used a straightforward in situ reduction process and a vacuum-drying method to successfully prepare a flexible Ag NPs/chitosan (CS)/PVA nanocomposite with three-dimensional (3D) conductive and thermally conductive network architectures. The 3D silver pathways formed by attaching to the chitosan fibers endow the material with simultaneous exceptional TC and EMI capabilities. At a silver concentration of 25 vol %, the TC of Ag NPs/CS/PVA nanocomposites reaches 5.18 W·m-1·K-1, exhibiting an approximately 25 times increase compared to CS/PVA composites. The electromagnetic shielding performance of 78.5 dB significantly outperforms the specifications of standard commercial EMI shielding applications by a significant margin. Additionally, Ag NPs/CS/PVA nanocomposites have greatly benefited from microwave absorption (SEA), effectively impeding the transmission of EM waves and reducing the reflected secondary EM wave pollution. Meanwhile, the composite material still maintains good mechanical properties and bendability. This endeavor helped develop malleable and durable composites that possess superior EMI shielding capabilities and intriguing heat dissipation properties using innovative design and fabrication methods.

Preparation of Al2O3 /PVA Nanocomposite Thin Films by a Plasma Jet Method

Alumina thin films have significant applications in the areas of optoelectronics, optics, electrical insulators, sensors and tribology. The novel aspect of this work is that the homogeneous alumina thin films were prepared in several stages to generate a plasma jet. In this paper, aluminium nanoparticles suspended in vinyl alcohol were prepared using exploding wire plasma. TEM analysis was used to determine the size and shape of particles in aluminium and vinyl alcohol suspensions; the TEM images showed that the particle size is 17.2 nm. Aluminium/poly vinyl alcohol (Al/PVA) thin films were prepared using this suspension on quartz substrate by plasma jet technique at room temperature with an argon gas flow rate of 1 L/min. The Al/PVA thin films were thermally converted to alumina films, where they were annealed at different temperatures (700, 800, or 900°C). X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques were used to characterise these thin films before and after annealing process. The diffraction patterns of the prepared thin films before subjecting them to the annealing process indicated the presence of peaks belonging to aluminium and PVA; however, the diffraction patterns and FTIR spectra obtained for these films after the annealing process showed peaks indicating the formation of alumina films of different phases. AFM and SEM investigations proved that the formed particles for all prepared films before and after the annealing process were similar in size and almost spherical; the diameter of the particles was on the order of a few nanometres. To control the properties of prepared thin films, the plasma which was used to produce thin films is diagnosed spectrophotometrically. The generated plasma was diagnosed using optical emission spectroscopy to estimate the electron temperature Te; the electron temperature was 1.925 eV.

Flexoelectricity and piezoelectric effects in poly (vinyl alcohol)-SrTiO3 nanocomposites

This work investigates the structural, dielectric, mechanical, and apparent piezoelectric properties of PVA-SrTiO3 nanocomposite films by varying the concentration of SrTiO3 nanoparticles. It was shown that the piezoelectric coefficient d33, dielectric constant, elastic modulus, and hardness strongly depend upon nanoparticle concentration; the strong molecular interaction between constituents leads to the formation of an interface layer between PVA matrix and SrTiO3. We propose that the apparent piezoelectric coefficient relates to the converse flexoelectric effect and Maxwell stress induced by an electric field. The proper interface layer formation strongly depends upon nanoparticle concentration; when the concentration increases, their agglomeration drives the destruction of the interface such that the properties of the nanocomposites are diminished. By fine-tuning the interface layer of PVA nanocomposite with nanoparticles functionalizing by polyvinylpyrrolidone, the films exhibit an unexpectedly high apparent piezoelectric coefficient (d33=35 pC/N); this value is higher than neat SrTiO3 crystals and polymer composites with flexoelectric properties.

Doped Carbon Quantum Dots/PVA Nanocomposite as a Platform to Sense Nitrite Ions in Meat.

A sensor device based on doped-carbon quantum dots is proposed herein for detection of nitrite in meat products by fluorescence quenching. For the sensing platform, carbon quantum dots doped with boron and functionalized with nitrogen (B,N-Cdot) were synthesized with an excellent 44.3% quantum yield via a one-step hydrothermal route using citric acid, boric acid, and branched polyethylenimine as carbon, boron, and nitrogen sources, respectively. After investigation of their chemical structure and fluorescent properties, the B,N-Cdot at aqueous suspensions showed high selectivity for NO2- in a linear range from 20 to 50 mmol L-1 under optimum conditions at pH 7.4 and a 340 nm excitation. Furthermore, the prepared B,N-Cdots successfully detected NO2- in a real meat sample with recovery of 91.4-104% within the analyzed range. In this manner, a B,N-Cdot/PVA nanocomposite film with blue emission under excitation at 360 nm was prepared, and a first assay detection of NO2- in meat products was tested using a smartphone application. The potential application of the newly developed sensing device containing a highly fluorescent probe should aid in the development of a rapid and inexpensive strategy for NO2- detection.

Evaluation of Micro- and Nano-Bismuth(III) Oxide Coated Fabric for Environmentally Friendly X-Ray Shielding Materials

This research focuses on the development of environmentally friendly textile-based shielding composites, from micro-sized and nanosized Bi2O3 particles, against ionizing radiation. Polyester fabric dyne-coated with either micro- or nano-Bi2O3 particles shields some X-rays but the effectiveness is poor. With only ∼58% uptake of micro-sized Bi2O3 particles dyeing on polyester fabric, the insufficient amount of Bi2O3 leaded to the low density of particles, resulting in only 30% of X-ray shielding at 80 kVp. Cotton fabric coated with either micro- or nano-Bi2O3/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composites, on the other hand, demonstrated the capacity to attenuate X-ray generated by high diagnostic X-ray tube voltages of 70–100 kVp, in compliance with medical protection requirements. The X-ray attenuation performance of cotton fabric coated with either micro-Bi2O3/PVA or nano-Bi2O3/PVA nanocomposite decreased progressively with increasing tube acceleration voltages, however their ionizing radiation-shielding performance enhanced with the number of fabric layers. Interestingly, for all X-ray tube voltages evaluated, the micro-Bi2O3/PVA composite outperformed the nano- Bi2O3/PVA composite in terms of X-ray shielding. At a weight ratio of 66.7% Bi2O3, 10 layers of cotton fabric coated with micro- Bi2O3/PVA composite can attenuate 90, 85, and 80% of X-ray photons at 70, 80, and 100 kVp, respectively. As a result, these less harmful X-ray shielding materials have the potential to replace lead-based composites, which are highly toxic to human health and have negative environmental consequences.

Studies on the diversified properties of stannic oxide filled PVA nanocomposite (PVA-xSnO2) films

Polymer nanocomposites are the subject of increased interest owing to their unique features and polymers act as good hosts for numerous nanofillers. For the present study, SnO2 powder was synthesized by one-pot Starch Assisted Combustion and was filled in PVA matrix with various wt% to fabricate PVA-xSnO2 nanocomposite films by solution casting technique. XRD of the composite films demonstrated that the crystalline nature grows with the wt% of SnO2 loading and also that the SnO2 crystallite size ranges between 45 & 55 nm. FTIR confirms the interaction between PVA–OH groups with Sn-O through hydrogen bonding (Sn-O, 650 cm−1). Also, HSAB principle was used to explain the strong PVA-SnO2 interaction. SEM revealed uniform distribution of SnO2 throughout the films with grain or broken glass piece morphology. With increasing SnO2 loading, the band gap energy (Eg) of the films decreased, ionic conductivity increased and the real part of the dielectric permittivity (ε′) of the films decreased. These properties are expected to have enormous scope in fabricating foldable and lightweight semiconductor applications. The biodegradable properties of PVA-xSnO2 films have been evaluated, which may address environmental issues. Water absorption and solubility of the composite films were decreased with SnO2 loading. Enhancement in thermal, optical, mechanical, ionic conductivity, dielectric and biodegradable properties of the films is the inherent results of incorporating SnO2 in PVA matrix with potential applications in energy storage devices, flexible electronic devices and thin/transparent optoelectronics.

Synthesis of a $$\hbox {Cu}_{1.96}$$S:PVA Nanocomposite for Breath Monitoring and Pressure Sensing Applications

Synthesis of a $$\hbox {Cu}_{1.96}$$S:PVA Nanocomposite for Breath Monitoring and Pressure Sensing Applications

Thermal and Mechanical Properties a Membrane of the Mixing PVA Nanocomposite and Limestone Hydroxyapatite

Synthesis and characterization of membranes from a mixture of PVA nanocomposites and limestone hydroxyapatite have been carried out. The limestone is crushed, sieved with a size of 200 mesh. The synthesis of hydroxyapatite was carried out by heating limestone powder using a furnace at a temperature of 600 °C for 4 hours. Furthermore, limestone was dissolved with distilled water and 0.3M H3PO4 solution using a magnetic stirrer with stirring at 300 rpm for 1 hour. The pH of the solution was made 10 by adding 1 M NH4OH periodically. The solution was aged for 24 hours and the precipitate was dried using an oven at 120 °C for 5 hours. The hydroxyapatite powder was characterized by FTIR to see the functional groups and XRD characterization to see the hexagonal hydroxyapatite phase. The characterization results obtained that the main groups of hydroxyapatite compounds were calcium hydroxide (CaO), phosphate (PO4 3-), and hydroxyl (OH−) groups with a crystal size of 86.27 nm. Limestone hydroxyapatite was mixed with a solution of PVA-chitosan with a composition variation of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% weight using a magnetic stirrer at 40°C for 3 hours using the sol-gel method. The membrane obtained was characterized by DSC to determine its thermal properties and UTM to determine its mechanical properties. The maximum melting point obtained in the mixture (98: 2) % was 195.51°C and the highest tensile strength was at the percentage of 1% with a modulus of elasticity of 22.28 M.Pa and tensile strength of 13.23 M.Pa.

Biodegradable cellulose I (II) nanofibrils/poly(vinyl alcohol) composite films with high mechanical properties, improved thermal stability and excellent transparency

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with cellulose I and II allomorphs were efficiently prepared by sulfuric acid hydrolysis of eucalyptus cellulose under three different conditions followed by mechanical treatments: (i) classical sulfuric acid hydrolysis of cellulose I (CNF-I), (ii) sulfuric acid hydrolysis of mercerized cellulose II (MNF-II), and (iii) solubilization and hydrolysis of cellulose I by concentrated sulfuric acid and subsequent recrystallization in water (RNF-II). Crystal structure, surface chemistry, morphology and thermal properties of three CNFs were investigated and compared. Three CNFs of 2–10 wt% were mixed with PVA to prepare biodegradable composite films. CNF allomorph had significant impact on crystal structure, mechanical and thermal properties of the PVA composites. The maximum Young's modulus of CNF-I/PVA, RNF-II/PVA and MNF-II/PVA were increased by 62, 32 and 44%, respectively. Addition of CNFs raised onset degradation temperature (Tonset) and thermal decomposition temperature (Tmax) of PVA nanocomposite, while decreased the melting temperature (Tm). Temperature window (Tonset − Tm) for the melt processing of nanocomposites (10 wt% CNF loading) were increased 2.8, 3.2 and 2.5 times for CNF-I/PVA, RNF-II/PVA and MNF-II/PVA, respectively. All composite films remained excellent transparency with addition of CNFs. This comparative study provided important knowledge of selecting CNF allomorph for fabrication of high-performance CNF/PVA composites.

Ionic Liquids Grafted Cellulose Nanocrystals for High-Strength and Toughness PVA Nanocomposite.

The surface functionalization of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) is of significant importance for promoting its diverse applications. However, the efficient strategy reported so far for cation functionalization of CNCs remains limited owing to the electrostatic attraction between cationic modifiers and electronegative CNCs. Herein, a cationized CNC (CNC-LA-IL) has been successfully prepared in aqueous media by grafting the [VBIm][BF4], a kind of ionic liquid (IL), on the surface of a sulfated CNC using lactic acid (LA) as a linker molecule. This surface functionalization not only converts the negative charge of CNC suspensions to a positive charge (zeta potential reversed from -35 to +40 mV) but also leads to enhanced thermal stability and redispersibility of the dried CNC. To examine the reinforcing effect of IL-modified CNCs, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/CNC-LA-IL nanocomposite films were further prepared by the solution casting method. To one's surprise, the as-prepared PVA/CNC-LA-IL films exhibit extraordinary improvement in both the tensile strength (92%) and the toughness (166%) with only a 0.3 wt % CNC loading. This study provides a green and facile method to achieve ionic liquids grafted CNCs for high-performance nanocomposites.

A novel strategy to prepare COFs based BN co-doped carbon nanosheet for enhancing mechanical performance and fire safety to PVA nanocomposite

N doped carbon nanosheet and B N co-doped carbon (BNC) nanosheet are first prepared through exfoliation of carbon of Schiff based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) under ultrasound using sodium lignin sulfonate as the intercalation agent and modifier. Then poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/BNC nanocomposite with enhanced thermal oxidation stability, good mechanical performances and enhanced flame retardancy has been prepared through solution blending. The temperature at 5 wt% weight loss and peak heat release rate of PVA loaded with 4 wt% of BNC nanosheet increase by 31.9 °C and 57.3% compared with that of untreated PVA, respectively. A new fire hazard evaluation system based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is raised to comprehensively estimate fire risk of prepared sample. It is deduced from AHP that PVA loaded with 4 wt% BNC nanosheet shows the lowest fire risk (77.9 score). The effect of BNC nanosheet on pyrolysis mode of PVA in gaseous and condensed phase has also been investigated to figure out the reason for low fire risk of treated PVA.

Pani‐Ag/PVA nanocomposite: Gamma induced changes in the thermal and optical characteristics

AbstractThe gamma (γ) induced modifications in the synthesized Pani‐Ag/PVA nanocomposite (NCP) thermal and optical characteristics have been depicted. The induced effect was investigated applying X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and UV‐spectroscopy. Further, the color intensity (ΔE) of the irradiated NCP and blank has been estimated. The γ radiation decreases the optical band gap value from 2.65 to 1.54 eV owing to the randomly amorphous dominance in the irradiated NCP. Moreover, γ radiation induced noticeable defects generation, splitting the crystals, leading to depressed melting temperature.

Facile synthesis, structure analysis and optical performance of manganese oxide-doped PVA nanocomposite for optoelectronic and optical cut-off laser devices

In the present work, successful manganese oxide (Mn2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by a combustion technique, while the casting process was employed for the manufacturing of polymer nanocomposites with various weights of Mn2O3 based on Poly(Vinyl Alcohol), PVA. Multiple methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), HR-TEM, EDAX, EDS, SEM, FT-IR, DTA analysis, optical spectroscopy from UV to IR regions, and optical reduction (CUT-OFF) setup were used to characterize the structural, elemental chemical analysis, morphological, optical properties, and cut-off laser characteristic of nanocomposite samples. Mn2O3 nanoparticles have a crystallite size of 22.08 nm as calculated using the Debye–Scherer formula from XRD, while the HR-TEM shows a spherical particle of size 30–38 nm range. EDAX spectra and EDS mapping were used to detect the elemental particles of the nanocomposite. The external morphology of the films by SEM images shows an increase in the agglomeration size of the cluster with the percentage of Mn2O3 nanoparticles in PVA. FT-IR spectra show excellent incorporation between the matrix of polymer and the Mn2O3 via the hydroxyl group. Moreover, with increasing the doping rate of nanoparticles, the thermal stability of PVA increased. A significant change of optical transmittance, absorption edge, Urbach energy, and transition bandgap have been observed due to the influence of Mn2O3. The comparison between the bandgap values that have been estimated from Tauc’s relation and thus resulting from optical dielectric loss indicates a direct allowed transition of electrons in the nanocomposites. The light is entirely UV–Vis absorbed by PVA with a high percentage of Mn2O3 nanoparticles. Moreover, the efficiency of the films to decrease the power of two laser beams (635 nm and 533 nm) has been observed. The flexible films of PVA with an elevated rate of Mn2O3 are considered a successful option for low-cost technologies of optical limiting.

Optical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties and non-isothermal decomposition behavior of poly(vinyl alcohol)–ZnO nanocomposites

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposites incorporated with ZnO nanofiller were prepared and examined to study the influence of nanofiller on their properties. All the prepared samples were analyzed using FTIR and XRD. The observation of M–O stretching peak (at 526 cm−1) in the samples indicated the interaction of ZnO with PVA matrix. The XRD patterns of PVA nanocomposites confirmed the presence of ZnO nanofiller. The uniform dispersion of ZnO nanofiller as well as the interaction of nanofiller with the PVA matrix was also observed in SEM study. The size of the ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) was estimated to be less than 35 nm from the TEM micrograph. The light absorption and transmittance behaviors of the PVA nanocomposites were examined by analyzing the UV–visible spectra. The prepared PVA nanocomposite films exhibited high absorption in the UV region. The band gap of PVA was decreased after incorporating the ZnO NPs. The thermal property and non-isothermal degradation behavior of the polymer nanocomposites were assessed using a TGA instrument. The energy of activation associated with the thermal decomposition behavior of the polymer composites was determined using the kinetic models. The DC electrical conductivity, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the nanocomposite films were enhanced by the addition of ZnO NPs as compared with the pure PVA.

Enhancement in thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of novel PVA nanocomposite embedded with SrO nanofillers and the analysis of its thermal degradation behavior by nonisothermal approach

AbstractEffect of SrO nanofillers on the physical and chemical properties of newly prepared PVA nanocomposites was investigated in‐depth in this article. The structure of SrO nanopowder and PVA nanocomposites were analyzed using FTIR for surface chemistry and XRD for crystallographic nature. The extent of dispersion and particle size of SrO nanopowders were obtained from TEM micrographs. The average particle size of the SrO nanopowder was 57 nm. The uniformly dispersed SrO nanofillers in the host PVA matrix were observed from the TEM micrographs. The prepared PVA nanocomposites displayed a high absorption in the UV region. The thermal stability of PVA nanocomposites was enhanced after the addition of SrO nanofillers. The nonisothermal degradation study was carried out using different kinetic models for the prepared PVA nanocomposites. The Young's modulus (Y) and tensile strength of the PVA nanocomposites were higher than that of the pristine PVA. The DC conductivity of PVA was also increased when the PVA was embedded with the SrO nanoparticles.Highlights The novel PVA nanocomposites embedded with SrO nanofillers were prepared by the solution casting method. The band gap of PVA was decreased gradually while increasing the concentration of SrO nanofillers. The thermal degradation of polymer composites was studied under nonisothermal heating using several kinetic models. The thermal stability of PVA was enhanced after the addition of SrO nanofillers. The electrical and mechanical Properties of PVA nanocomposites were also improved.

Production of cellulose nanofibrils from alfa fibers and its nanoreinforcement potential in polymer nanocomposites

Alfa fibers (Stipa Tenacissima) were effectively utilized in this study as a promising cellulose source for isolation of carboxy-functionalized cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) using multiple treatments. Pure cellulose microfibers (CMFs) were firstly extracted by alkali and bleaching treatments. CNFs with an average nanofibrils diameter ranging from 1.4 to 4.6 nm and a crystallinity of 89% were isolated from CMFs by a combination of TEMPO-oxidation and mechanical disintegration processes. The morphology and physico-chemical properties of cellulosic materials were evaluated at different stages of treatments using several characterization techniques. Various CNF loadings (5–15 wt%) were incorporated into PVA polymer to evaluate the nanoreinforcement ability of CNFs and to produce CNF-filled PVA nanocomposite materials. The tensile and optical transmittance properties, as well as the morphological and thermal properties of the as-produced CNF-filled PVA nanocomposite films were investigated. It was found that the tensile modulus and strength of nanocomposites were gradually increased with increasing of CNF loadings, with a maximum increase of 90% and 74% was observed for a PVA nanocomposite containing 15 wt% CNFs, respectively. The optical transmittance was reduced from 91% (at 650 nm) for neat PVA polymer to 88%, 82% and 76% for PVA nanocomposites containing 5, 10 and 15 wt% CNFs, respectively. It was also found that the glass transition temperature was gradually increased from 76 °C for neat PVA to 89 °C for PVA nanocomposite containing 15 wt%. This study demonstrates the importance of Alfa fibers as annual renewable lignocellulosic material to produce CNFs with good morphology and excellent properties. These newly developed carboxy-functionalized CNFs could be considered as a potential nanofiller candidate for the preparation of nanocomposite materials of high transparency and good mechanical properties.

Optical, thermal, mechanical properties, and non‐isothermal degradation kinetic studies on PVA/CuO nanocomposites

The CuO nanoparticle doped poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposite films were prepared by the solution casting method. The structure of the prepared CuO nanoparticles and PVA nanocomposite films were confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and XRD. The (101) crystal plane of PVA was observed at 19.8° in XRD. The size of the CuO nanoparticles was determined as 20 nm using Scherrer's formula. It was further confirmed with HRTEM. The surface morphology of the nanocomposite films was investigated using SEM. The optical properties of the prepared CuO nanoparticles and PVA nanocomposite films were analyzed by UV–Visible spectroscopy. The band gap of PVA was decreased after the incorporation of CuO in PVA. The thermal stability of the pure PVA and its nanocomposites was examined using TGA to assess their thermal degradation temperature at five different heating rates. The thermal stability of PVA nanocomposites was increased as compared with pure PVA. The non‐isothermal degradation kinetic studies were also carried out to determine the energy of activation (Ea) for the degradation process using four different kinetic models. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of PVA nanocomposite films were notably increased with the increasing concentration of CuO nanoparticles. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:3737–3748, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers