Biopolymer-nanocomposites with silica, alumino-silicate and graphene: Structural characterization and properties

Mechanical, rheological and thermal properties of melt processes bio-nanocomposites of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and chitosan blends with 0-dimensional and 2-dimensional nanofillers were studied. The weight ratio of PBS and chitosan in the blend was optimized based on ease of processing, mixing quality and mechanical performance. The chitosan phase was observed to be dispersed as non-continuous phase in PBS and enhanced it mechanical properties markedly. The fillers had different degrees of improvement in the mechanical performance with graphene exhibiting a maximum increase of > 225% in the Young's modulus at 10% filler content. The IR characterization also signaled toward chemical interactions between the polymer and graphene phases. Increasing the filler content had overall reduction in crystallinity.