Structure and properties of thermomechanically processed chitosan/ carboxymethyl cellulose/graphene oxide polyelectrolyte complexed bionanocomposites

Bionanocomposites of chitosan and chitosan/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) polyelectrolyte complexed mate-rials with graphene oxide (GO) or reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were prepared by thermomechanical process -ing with excellent levels of dispersion. While GO has a greater affinity with the chitosan polycation, rGO had a more pronounced effect on properties resulting in increased tensile strength, Shore D hardness, and thermal sta-bility of both matrices. Although GO is more hydrophilic than rGO, the former increased more effectively the sur -face hydrophobicity of the biocomposites regardless of matrix type. GO and rGO changed the alpha-transition of the biocomposites in a similar manner. The electrochemical properties of the biocomposites were influenced by both nanofiller type and matrix. This research revealed that inclusion of 2D carbon nanomaterials can alter biopolymer interactions and that the phase structure of the biopolymer blend may play a more important role than nanofiller-matrix interactions in determining the overall properties of these bionanocomposites. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.