Improving Thermal, Mechanical, and Barrier Properties of Feather Keratin/Polyvinyl Alcohol/Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane Nanocomposite Films by Incorporating Sodium Montmorillonite and TiO2

In this study, feather keratin/polyvinyl alcohol/tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (FK/PVA/Tris) bionanocomposite films containing two types of nanoparticles, namely one-dimensional sodium montmorillonite (MMT) clay platelets (0.5, 1, 3, and 5 wt%) and three-dimensional TiO2 nanospheres (0.5, 1, 3, and 5 wt%), are prepared using solvent casting method. X-ray diffraction studies confirm the completely exfoliated structure of FK/PVA/Tris/MMT nanocomposites. The successful formation of new hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl groups of the film matrix and the nanofillers is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The tensile strength, elongation at break, and initial degradation temperature of the films are enhanced after MMT and TiO2 incorporation. The water vapor permeability, oxygen permeability, and light transmittance decrease with increase in TiO2 and MMT contents. In summary, nanoblending is an effective method to promote the application of FK/PVA/Tris blend films in the packaging field.