A review of polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethyl cellulose (PVA/CMC) composites for various applications

Polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethyl cellulose (PVA/CMC) composites have attracted considerable attention due to the synergic relation between the two polymers and developing novel blends with improved properties. On one hand, PVA is a versatile polymer with higher mechanical properties compared to CMC. On the other hand, CMC has high biodegradability and biocompatibility, while suffering from poor mechanical properties. Therefore, the blending of the two polymers can help to benefit from the individual component properties. This paper has reviewed the properties and potential applications (e.g. drug delivery, food packaging, and agriculture) of the PVA/ CMC composites.