Development and characterization of polyvinyl alcohol stabilized polylactic acid/ZnO nanocomposites

The present work is focused on the development of polylactic acid/ZnO (PLA/ZnO) polymer nanocomposite through a melt blending route. Previously, the ZnO nanoparticles were coated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) via a solvothermal method. The morphology of PVA coated ZnO nanostructures and the formation of polymer nanocomposites were identified through transmission electron microscopy analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that PVA coated ZnO(c) nanoparticles incorporated into the PLA matrix exhibited better thermal stability, suggesting that PVA could be acting as a strong stabilizing agent for ZnO nanoparticles. The tensile strength, elastic modulus, strain at maximum strength and the maximum strain were extracted through stress-strain relations.