Thermal and morphological studies of poly (vinyl alcohol)/poly (vinyl pyrrolidone)/organoclay nanocomposites containing L-leucine moiety

Abstract

This work is devoted to the synthesis and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP)/organoclay (OC) (PPOC) hybrid and comparison between PPOC, PVA/PVP matrix, and PVA/OC (POC) nanocomposite (NC). The PPOC NCs were prepared by mixing a colloidal swelled solution consisting of OC with a water solution of PVA and PVP in the 3:1 weight ratio of PVA to PVP. L-Leucine ammonium ion-exchanged clay was utilized as the nanofiller. The obtained NCs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The morphological studies indicate that the flake structured OC is rather homogeneously dispersed in host matrix. The PPOC NCs exhibited improved thermal stability compared with pure polymers and POC NC. The improvement of thermal properties was attributed to the homogeneous and good dispersion of OC in the polymeric matrix and the strong hydrogen bonding between O–H of PVA, C = O of PVP, and Si–O of OC.