Acetylated cellulose nanostructures as reinforcement materials for PBAT nanocomposites

Acetylated-cellulose nanostructures (CNS) were used as reinforcing agent to develop poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)-PBAT-nanocomposites with 1, 3, 5, and 10 wt% of modified and nonmodified nanoparticles through solvent casting. This study explains the interactions between the reactive groups CNS and PBAT interact and the influence of this interaction in the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites. The nonmodified CNS showed a noncontinuous increase in the PBAT stiffness, due to the low interaction between the reinforcement and the matrix and low CNS dispersion. The best results were obtained to acetylated CNS due to the intermolecular interactions between the acetyl groups and the polymer chains. Probably the acetyl groups interfered in the atomic vibration relative to the functional groups of the matrix, which is indicative of the interaction and enhancement of the internal cohesion of the components.