Performance of graphene-functionalized nano chitosan in ternary polymeric nanocomposites for physical and biological applications.

Aljelawy, Sarah Sabah; Al-Bermany, Ehssan; Abdulridha, Ali Razzaq

Chitosan and vinyl polymer have notably contributed to critical engineering and medical applications. This study focused on combining these biopolymers with the reinforcement of unique graphene to fabricate newly quaternary biopolymers-based nanocomposites for the first time for notable characterizations and properties. The nano chitosan (CS) doped graphene oxide (GO) nanosheet was mixed with two selected vinyl family polymers with different end vinyl functionalities, polyvinyl propylene (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). It was mixed separately with polyacrylic acid (PAA) and CS-doped GO nanosheets to fabricate new PVP-PAA-CS/GO (Ps) and PVV-PAA-CS/GO (Ns) nanocomposites. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy exhibited strong hydrogen bonding between the component matrix with different behaviors of nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction results revealed different semicrystalline behavior of nanocomposites due to changing the vinyl polymers. Field emission scanning electron microscopy presented good homogeneity and fine dispersion of nanomaterials with different fracture surface behavior of two nanocomposites. UV–visible spectrophotometer utilized absorption peaks at 260 nm of Ps and 300 nm of Ns nanocomposites; the energy gap improved the forbidden indirect transition from 3.4 to 2.95 eV and 3.9 to 3.2 eV, respectively. The inhibition zone of bacteria presented the best result of Ps nanocomposites, which improved from 6.2 mm to 14 mm S. aureus bacteria ranged, whereas 7 mm to 11 mm was the range for group Ns. Meanwhile, Ps revealed the best inhibitory of E. coli from 19 to 23 mm and 18 to 20 mm for Ns nanocomposites compared to S. aureus. These new nanocomposites presented promising for biological and opto-electro applications.

POLYMERIC nanocomposites; VINYL polymers; FIELD emission electron microscopy; ESCHERICHIA coli; POLYVINYL alcohol

Journal of Polymer Research, 2024, Vol 31, Issue 8, p1

1022-9760

Academic Journal

10.1007/s10965-024-04064-7