Mechanical reinforcement and thermal properties of PVA tricomponent nanocomposites with chitin nanofibers and cellulose nanocrystals

Investigating tricomponent materials containing poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) provides potential for understanding the modulation of material properties. CNCs or ChNFs in polymers have been documented previously; however, composites containing both in combination has been underexplored. The results show that at certain CNC/ChNF ratios, the modulus and tensile strength of the composites are enhanced beyond that possible with either nanofiller alone. However, composites containing CNC/ChNF ratios that corresponded to balanced nanofiller surface charges showed reduced mechanical properties, potentially due to charge-driven association of the nanofillers. Furthermore, changes in thermal degradation behavior suggested that these nanofillers could hinder initial degradation pathways, providing additional benefits to material performance. Overall, these initial results suggest that tricomponent nanocomposites utilizing PVA, CNCs, and ChNFs open additional possibilities for tuning the mechanical and thermal properties of creating high-performance materials with reduced environmental impact.