An eco-friendly method for the preparation of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone)-poly(vinyl alcohol) blend nanocomposite films containing vitamin B1-modified silica nanoparticles to enhance thermal and wettability properties

Incorporation of silica (SiO2) nanoparticles (NP)s within the poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone)-poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVP-PVA) blend can improve its characteristics. Initially, the bio-compatible vitamin B-1 (VB1) was used for tailoring the surface of NPs and preventing them from aggregation. After that, the nanocomposite (NC) films of PVP-PVA combined with equal proportions were prepared by inserting various amounts of the modified SiO2 (SiO2-VB1). Uniform dispersal of the SiO2-VB1 inside the polymer was verified by means of microscopic observations. Optical as well as thermal characteristics revealed improvement after addition of the SiO2-VB1. Also, the NC with higher SiO2-VB1 content showed lower contact angle. This proposes the role of SiO2-VB1 NPs as a suitable filler to increase the wettability of the PVP-PVA blend.