Fabrication and physicochemical features study of crosslinked PVA/FGO nanocomposite films

Abstract

Polymer/graphene nanocomposites (NCs) have gained increasing attention owing to their unique properties. In this study, to improve the physicochemical features of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), crosslinked PVA/functionalized graphene oxide (FGO) films were prepared, using glutaraldehyde (GA) as crosslinking agent. To reinforce the GO dispersibility in PVA, tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane (TRIS) was attached to GO and the crosslinking was happened between C=O (GA) and OH (FGO and PVA) groups. Characterization of PVA/GA/FGO NCs was carried out using various techniques. Attenuated total reflection exhibited the attendance of acetal linkage in the films. The enhancement in swelling and glass transition temperature was detected for the obtained NCs. The morphology of NCs films were studied and definite images were perceived. Considerable augmentation in Young’s modulus of PVA/GA/FGO NCs were attained upon crosslinking with a trace (2.5 wt%) of GA.