Fructose functionalized MWCNT as a filler for starch nanocomposites: Fabrication and characterizations

Plasticized starch is one of the outstanding matrices for the fabrication of polymer bionanocomposites (bioNCs). In this study, water-plasticized starch was used for the preparation of novel starch NC films while in many other reported works glycerol was used as plasticizer. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)s functionalized with D-fructose (Fr) biomolecule (MWCNT-Fr) were used as nartofiller. However, in many previous works only carboxyl functionalized MWCNT were incorporated into starch. Here, the (MWCNT-Fr)s with weight percentages of 0.5, 1 and 2% (respect to polymer weight) were distributed into the plasticized starch with the aid of sonication and the films were prepared by casting the starch/MWCNT-Fr mixtures. The resulting bioNCs were characterized using Thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, and Transmission electron microscopy. Surface morphology results proved that functionalization of MWCNTs with carbohydrate led to a good compatibility between nanofiller and matrix which caused to a homogeneous distribution of nanotubes throughout the starch.