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7 Applications of Bionanocomposite Materials
7.4 Summary
Increasing environmental concerns due to the use of non-degradable polymers have
motivated the researchers and material developers to find alternative polymeric materials. Biodegradable polymers are considered as a suitable material candidate for
conventionally synthetic polymers in order to reduce energy consumption and gas
emission. Key biopolymers applications with their properties in relation to electronics
and material packaging have been particularly reviewed in this chapter. Moreover,
the material performance of bionanocomposite films developed in our study can be
improved with the following recommendations:
• Our results indicate that BCs are effective nanofillers for the property enhancement of PVA nanocomposites due to their existing mechanical bonding with PVA
matrices based on typical highly porous BC structures. The reinforcement efficiency of BCs could be further enhanced by their surface modification to use with
different hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers in the development of advanced
nanocomposites, which can directly benefit from enlarging pore diameters and the
supply of more surface functional groups. As such, their interaction and miscibility
can be promoted with different types of polymers as matrices in nanocomposite
systems.
• BCs in possession of excellent absorption capacity could be employed for
retaining food and inhibiting the growth of bacteria, particularly for the fabrication of PVA bionanocomposite films with their potential applications in packaging
applications.
• On the other hand, BCs have large surface area, absorbance efficiency and biocompatibility, and can be considered as a suitable carrier candidate for drug delivery
with their ability to improve the human microcirculation system. The similar
case can also apply to PVA/HNT nanocomposites as HNTs are well known to be
effective carriers for drug delivery.
• Although micromechanical models used in this study are developed to evaluate the
impact of 3D interphase dimension, interphase volume, aspect ratio and content
of nanofillers, as well as nanofiller dispersion states with much better predictions
for tensile moduli of PVA bionanocomposites, interphase modulus should also be
considered for better understanding the overall macroscopic material behaviour
of bionanocomposites.
• PVA bionanocomposites were successfully manufactured by a solution casting
method leading to strong PVA/NBC bionanocomposites, and good PVA/HNT
bionanocomposites and PVA/Cloisite 30B clay bionanocomposites. A layer-bylayer method is also suggested in order to achieve more desirable properties of
bionanocomposite thin films. In such a process, deposition layers of polymer and
nanofiller suspension can be placed on the substrates based on other different
technologies such as dipping, dewetting, roll-to-roll process and centrifugation
for the assemblies to generate more desired films on the substrate.
7 Applications of Bionanocomposite Materials
7.4 Summary
Increasing environmental concerns due to the use of non-degradable polymers have
motivated the researchers and material developers to find alternative polymeric materials. Biodegradable polymers are considered as a suitable material candidate for
conventionally synthetic polymers in order to reduce energy consumption and gas
emission. Key biopolymers applications with their properties in relation to electronics
and material packaging have been particularly reviewed in this chapter. Moreover,
the material performance of bionanocomposite films developed in our study can be
improved with the following recommendations:
• Our results indicate that BCs are effective nanofillers for the property enhancement of PVA nanocomposites due to their existing mechanical bonding with PVA
matrices based on typical highly porous BC structures. The reinforcement efficiency of BCs could be further enhanced by their surface modification to use with
different hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers in the development of advanced
nanocomposites, which can directly benefit from enlarging pore diameters and the
supply of more surface functional groups. As such, their interaction and miscibility
can be promoted with different types of polymers as matrices in nanocomposite
systems.
• BCs in possession of excellent absorption capacity could be employed for
retaining food and inhibiting the growth of bacteria, particularly for the fabrication of PVA bionanocomposite films with their potential applications in packaging
applications.
• On the other hand, BCs have large surface area, absorbance efficiency and biocompatibility, and can be considered as a suitable carrier candidate for drug delivery
with their ability to improve the human microcirculation system. The similar
case can also apply to PVA/HNT nanocomposites as HNTs are well known to be
effective carriers for drug delivery.
• Although micromechanical models used in this study are developed to evaluate the
impact of 3D interphase dimension, interphase volume, aspect ratio and content
of nanofillers, as well as nanofiller dispersion states with much better predictions
for tensile moduli of PVA bionanocomposites, interphase modulus should also be
considered for better understanding the overall macroscopic material behaviour
of bionanocomposites.
• PVA bionanocomposites were successfully manufactured by a solution casting
method leading to strong PVA/NBC bionanocomposites, and good PVA/HNT
bionanocomposites and PVA/Cloisite 30B clay bionanocomposites. A layer-bylayer method is also suggested in order to achieve more desirable properties of
bionanocomposite thin films. In such a process, deposition layers of polymer and
nanofiller suspension can be placed on the substrates based on other different
technologies such as dipping, dewetting, roll-to-roll process and centrifugation
for the assemblies to generate more desired films on the substrate.