Chapter 5
3D Interphase of PVA Bionanocomposite
Films
Abstract In this chapter, nanomechanical properties and interphase dimensions of
polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) bionanocomposite films were measured by a peak force
quantitative nanomechanical tapping mode (PFQNM). Our results revealed that
the interphase in case of PVA/nanodiameter bamboo charcoal (NBC) bionanocomposites has higher nanoelastic properties and reinforcement efficiency than those
of PVA/halloysite nanotube (HNT) bionanocomposites and PVA/Cloisite 30B clay
bionanocomposites. Such results are associated with higher interphase volume per
unit particle volume in case of PVA/NBC bionanocomposites, as opposed to the other
two bionanocomposites.
Keywords 3D interphase · Bionanocomposites · Nanomechanical properties ·
Analytical modelling
5.1 Introduction
Recently, it has been proven that the formation of interphase region in the vicinity of
nanofillers induces the dramatic change of properties of polymer nanocomposites in
contrast to those of corresponding polymer matrices [1]. Such an interphase region
can be told from nanoparticles and polymer matrices owing to their distinct physical properties in that material performance of nanocomposite materials primarily
relies on the volume and properties of interfacial regions [2, 3]. Different factors
such as particle structure and shape can significantly affect the interaction level
between particles and polymeric molecules, which plays an important role in determining interphase dimensions and properties. This is particularly the case in this
study where the incorporation of layered montmorillonite (MMT) with PVA can
result in different matrix–particle interactions and diverse interphase properties when
compared with the use of tubular HNTs and NBCs, as reported in the following
sections. Theoretical simulations, such as atomistic and coarse-grained molecular
This chapter takes partial content materials from authors’ published research article ‘Mousa M,
Dong Y (2020) Towards sophisticated 3D interphase modelling of advanced bionanocomposites via atomic force microscopy, J Nanomater, Article ID 4526108’ under Creative Commons
Attribution Licence.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Mousa and Y. Dong, Multiscaled PVA Bionanocomposite Films,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8771-9_5
115
3D Interphase of PVA Bionanocomposite
Films
Abstract In this chapter, nanomechanical properties and interphase dimensions of
polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) bionanocomposite films were measured by a peak force
quantitative nanomechanical tapping mode (PFQNM). Our results revealed that
the interphase in case of PVA/nanodiameter bamboo charcoal (NBC) bionanocomposites has higher nanoelastic properties and reinforcement efficiency than those
of PVA/halloysite nanotube (HNT) bionanocomposites and PVA/Cloisite 30B clay
bionanocomposites. Such results are associated with higher interphase volume per
unit particle volume in case of PVA/NBC bionanocomposites, as opposed to the other
two bionanocomposites.
Keywords 3D interphase · Bionanocomposites · Nanomechanical properties ·
Analytical modelling
5.1 Introduction
Recently, it has been proven that the formation of interphase region in the vicinity of
nanofillers induces the dramatic change of properties of polymer nanocomposites in
contrast to those of corresponding polymer matrices [1]. Such an interphase region
can be told from nanoparticles and polymer matrices owing to their distinct physical properties in that material performance of nanocomposite materials primarily
relies on the volume and properties of interfacial regions [2, 3]. Different factors
such as particle structure and shape can significantly affect the interaction level
between particles and polymeric molecules, which plays an important role in determining interphase dimensions and properties. This is particularly the case in this
study where the incorporation of layered montmorillonite (MMT) with PVA can
result in different matrix–particle interactions and diverse interphase properties when
compared with the use of tubular HNTs and NBCs, as reported in the following
sections. Theoretical simulations, such as atomistic and coarse-grained molecular
This chapter takes partial content materials from authors’ published research article ‘Mousa M,
Dong Y (2020) Towards sophisticated 3D interphase modelling of advanced bionanocomposites via atomic force microscopy, J Nanomater, Article ID 4526108’ under Creative Commons
Attribution Licence.
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
M. Mousa and Y. Dong, Multiscaled PVA Bionanocomposite Films,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8771-9_5
115