Abstract
In the present work, bio-nanocomposite films of sodium alginate/polyvinyl alcohol (SA/PVA) blend with different loadings of boehmite alumina (BA) nanoparticles were developed via the film-casting technique. The bio-nanocomposite films obtained, containing boehmite alumina nanoparticles, are highly transparent and eco-friendly. The morphological characterization, by using TEM, AFM and SEM, indicate the fact that the BA nanoparticles showed a homogeneous dispersion at low BA loading, with rod-like features and plates with cubic crystal shapes morphology. Conversely, BA agglomeration was observed at higher BA loading. The mechanical properties indicate improvements in the tensile strength and elongation-at-break and flexibility in the 3 wt% BA nanoparticles loading. This (3 wt%) is stable with homogeneous dispersion of BA nanoparticles in the SA/PVA blend matrix, which is confirmed by SEM and TEM analysis. Additionally, the contact angle of the blend matrix was observed to be 34.7° and with the incorporation of boehmite alumina (BA) of between 3 to 9 wt % to the hydrophilic blend matrix, the results in contact angles of the nanocomposite films in increasing hydrophobic order of 47.9–67.9°, respectively. Furthermore, the incorporation of BA nanoparticles shows that the SA/PVA blend matrix have desirable thermal stability. From the present study, the novel ternary SA/PVA/BA bio-nanocomposite films could be a potential candidate to be used in the fields of biomedical (such as wound healing) and packaging applications.
Acknowledgement
The authors are thankful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi; the Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizer, Govt. of India; SERB, New Delhi (ECR/2016/001126) and the Director, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST), Jorhat, Assam for his encouragement and support.
Disclosure statement
All author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest.