Biodegradable Carboxymethyl Cellulose Films Modified by Polyvinyl Alcohol and Cellulose Nanowhiskers:(2) Thermal, Water Vapor Permeability and Surface Hydrophilicity Properties

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) blend film was produced through casting. Cellulose Nanowhisker (CNW) was produced by means of acid hydrolysis of cotton linter and CMC-PVOH-cellulose nanowhiskers through which fully degradable bionanocomposites were prepared. Prepared nanowhisker suspension contained rod like particles averaging lengths of 240 nm and diameters of 13 nm. An amount of 6.40% reduction in water vapor permeability (WVP) and 9.31% enhancement in initial contact angle were achieved through a 10% Wt PVOH addition in the CMC film. Differential Scanning Calorimetery (DSC) results indicated that the addition of PVOH induces an increase in melting point of the CMC film. A 28.21% reduction in WVP was observed at 10% Wt CNW content as compared with blend film. The sample containing 7% CNW, exhibited the lowest surface hydrophilicity (Contact Angle = 59.28o). Glass temperatures (Tg) of the blend film and bionanocomposite film of 3% CNW were recorded as 164.3oC and 167.8oC, respectively. Through an addition of 7% CNW in the blend film, a reduction of 7.2oC in the melting point was observed.