Processing and Characterization of Polyvinyl Alcohol Based Nano Composites Reinforced with Cellulose-Silica

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to ascertain how well nanosilica (SiO₂) and nanocellulose (NC) reinforced Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) nanocomposites created from used oil palm fruit bunches. PVA based nanocomposites are a type of advanced Synthetic polymer PVA augmented with nanoscale materials to enhance its properties. These nanoscale materials are often nanoparticles or nanofillers, and they can be derived from various sources, including carbon, metals, oxides, or organic materials. Numerous disciplines, including mechanics, thermodynamics, X-ray diffraction (XRD), optics, and morphology, were studied in relation to the nanocomposites. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the uniform nanofiller dispersion at 3 wt%, & X-ray powder diffraction analysis revealed crystallinity fluctuations. By lowering matrix mobility, SiO₂ increased thermal stability. Light transmission was barely affected when 0.5wt% SiO₂ was added to PVA/NC composites that already contained 3wt% NC. PVA/NC films' tensile strength & modulus characteristics were enhanced by the addition of even a minute quantity of SiO2. These enhancements were also reflected in increased tensile strength and heat stability, two thermomechanical measures that indicated the reinforcing impact of SiO₂.