Properties of carboxymethyl cellulose aqueous solutions with nanoparticle additives and the related composite films

The rheological properties of carboxymethyl cellulose aqueous solutions containing small amounts of purified montmorillonite and bentonite nanoparticles are studied. The viscosity of mixed solutions decreases after addition of 1 wt % nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the films contain nanoparticles in the exfoliated state. An examination of the FTIR spectra of composite films suggests a shift in the absorption band due to Si-O groups. This phenomenon may be explained both by a change in the permittivity of the nanoparticle environment and by the formation of hydrogen bonds between Si-O groups and functional groups of cellulose ether. It is shown that the content of the added nanoparticles influences the mechanical characteristics of the films prepared from the systems of interest.