EFFECT OF REINFORCEMENT ON STRUCTURAL AND OPTICAL PARAMETERS OF POLY (3-HYDROXYBUTYRATE-co-10 MOL% 3HYDROXYHEXONATE)/ZnO COMPOSITES

[摘要] Using solution casting method, virgin poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-10 mol% 3hydroxyhexonate) (P(3HB-co-10 mol% 3HHx)) copolymer and ZnO nano particles (NPs) reinforced P(3HB-co-10 mol% 3HHx) composite films were prepared and their structural and optical parameters were studied using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and UV-Vis Spectroscopy. The crystallinity of the prepared composites were decreased due to the addition of ZnO NPs except for 20% ZnO concentration where the crystallinity of the composite is higher than the virgin P(3HB-co-10 mol% 3HHx) copolymer. The crystallite size of the composites is high (311 nm) compared to virgin P(3HB-co-10 mol% 3HHx) copolymer (33 nm) and the dislocation density was decreased with respect to the P(3HB-co-10 mol% 3HHx) crystal orientations. With respect to the concentration of ZnO NPs and P(3HB-co-10 mol% 3HHx) copolymer, the structural properties of the ZnO NPs in the copolymer matrix were also affected noticeably which was confirmed through AFM. Texture coefficient analysis confirms that addition of ZnO NPs in the copolymer matrix changes the preferential orientation of P(3HB-co-10 mol% 3HHx) copolymer which was observed in XRD. UV-Vis spectroscopy studies reveals that ZnO NPs increased the absorbance behaviour of P(3HB-co-10 mol% 3HHx) copolymer in UV-B and UV-C region and decreased the absorbance (high reflection) in visible region (800 nm to 1000 nm) i.e. transmittance behaviour increased which was confirmed in the reflectance and transmittance spectra. Even though the addition of ZnO NPs decreased the crystallinity on the other hand increased the absorption in UV region. From these observations, ZnO NPs reinforced P(3HB-co-10 mol% 3HHx) composites may be used as a UV-blocker or visible reflector for optoelectronics applications.

[学科分类] 生物技术

[关键词] P(3HB);3HHx;ZnO nanoparticles;Composites;XRD;AFM;UV-Vis