Preface
Biopolymers have gained significant attention due to an ever-increasing level of
synthetic polymers accumulated in a different environment. Polyvinyl alcohol
(PVA) is considered as one of popular water-soluble and ecofriendly biopolymers
due to its recyclability and biotribological properties for widespread biotechnological applications. Its key drawback lies in insufficient thermal and mechanical
properties when compared with those of synthetic polymers. Different nanofillers
such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene oxides (GOs) and nanoclays are
generally incorporated into PVA matrices in a nanocomposite system in order to
improve the overall material performance. Carbon-based nanofillers like CNTs,
carbon black and GOs are proven to be effective reinforcements because of unique
structures and properties despite their nanotoxicity and high material cost. Bamboo
charcoals (BCs) are ecofriendly and sustainable carbon-based particles in possession of good affinity with PVA to achieve excellent properties of PVA/BC bionanocomposites. Their porous structures facilitate the penetration of polymeric
molecules resulting in strong filler-matrix interfacial bonding.
This book covers the holistic development of a new ecofriendly bionanocomposite system based on PVA and BCs as biopolymer matrices and nanofillers,
respectively and investigates the possibility to take BCs as cheap, widely abundant
and sustainable non-toxic alternatives to conventional carbon based nanofillers in
comparison with clay-based counterparts including montmorillonite (MMT) and
halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). A simple solvent casting method was employed to
prepare novel and strong PVA/BC bionanocomposites, PVA/Cloisite 30B clay
bionanocomposites, as well as PVA/HNT bionanocomposites. The multifaceted
effects of different nanofiller sizes, contents, shapes and structures on their overall
material performance were evaluated in a systematic manner. More importantly, a
novel approach to experimentally measure 3D interphase dimensions and properties
between different nanofillers and PVA matrices was elaborated via peak force
quantitative nanomechanical tapping mode (PFQNM). Such important interphase
features were utilised in developing a theoretical modelling framework to estimate
effective volume fraction with respect to interphase volume and volume fraction,
v
Biopolymers have gained significant attention due to an ever-increasing level of
synthetic polymers accumulated in a different environment. Polyvinyl alcohol
(PVA) is considered as one of popular water-soluble and ecofriendly biopolymers
due to its recyclability and biotribological properties for widespread biotechnological applications. Its key drawback lies in insufficient thermal and mechanical
properties when compared with those of synthetic polymers. Different nanofillers
such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene oxides (GOs) and nanoclays are
generally incorporated into PVA matrices in a nanocomposite system in order to
improve the overall material performance. Carbon-based nanofillers like CNTs,
carbon black and GOs are proven to be effective reinforcements because of unique
structures and properties despite their nanotoxicity and high material cost. Bamboo
charcoals (BCs) are ecofriendly and sustainable carbon-based particles in possession of good affinity with PVA to achieve excellent properties of PVA/BC bionanocomposites. Their porous structures facilitate the penetration of polymeric
molecules resulting in strong filler-matrix interfacial bonding.
This book covers the holistic development of a new ecofriendly bionanocomposite system based on PVA and BCs as biopolymer matrices and nanofillers,
respectively and investigates the possibility to take BCs as cheap, widely abundant
and sustainable non-toxic alternatives to conventional carbon based nanofillers in
comparison with clay-based counterparts including montmorillonite (MMT) and
halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). A simple solvent casting method was employed to
prepare novel and strong PVA/BC bionanocomposites, PVA/Cloisite 30B clay
bionanocomposites, as well as PVA/HNT bionanocomposites. The multifaceted
effects of different nanofiller sizes, contents, shapes and structures on their overall
material performance were evaluated in a systematic manner. More importantly, a
novel approach to experimentally measure 3D interphase dimensions and properties
between different nanofillers and PVA matrices was elaborated via peak force
quantitative nanomechanical tapping mode (PFQNM). Such important interphase
features were utilised in developing a theoretical modelling framework to estimate
effective volume fraction with respect to interphase volume and volume fraction,
v