Unique Halloysite Nanotubes⁻Polyvinyl Alcohol⁻Polyvinylpyrrolidone Composite Complemented with Physico⁻Chemical Characterization

Tayser Sumer Gaaz; Abdul Amir H Kadhum; Patina Kiah Anak Michael; Ahmed A Al-Amiery; Abu Bakar Sulong; Mohamed H Nassir; Ahed Hameed Jaaz

doi:10.3390/polym9060207

Unique Halloysite Nanotubes⁻Polyvinyl Alcohol⁻Polyvinylpyrrolidone Composite Complemented with Physico⁻Chemical Characterization

Polymers (Basel). 2017 Jun 6;9(6):207. doi: 10.3390/polym9060207.

Authors

Tayser Sumer Gaaz^{1

2}, Abdul Amir H Kadhum³, Patina Kiah Anak Michael⁴, Ahmed A Al-Amiery⁵, Abu Bakar Sulong⁶, Mohamed H Nassir⁷, Ahed Hameed Jaaz⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia. taysersumer@gmail.com.
² Department of Machinery Equipment Engineering Techniques, Technical College Al-Musaib, Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Al-Musaib, Babil 51009, Iraq. taysersumer@gmail.com.
³ Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia. amir8@ukm.edu.my.
⁴ Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia. caddy.tina@gmail.com.
⁵ Energy and Renewable Energies Technology Centre, University of Technology, Baghdad 10001, Iraq. dr.ahmed1975@gmail.com.
⁶ Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia. abubakar@ukm.edu.my.
⁷ Program of Chemical Engineering, Taylor's University-Lakeside Campus, Subang Jaya, Selangor 47500, Malaysia. mhnassir1949@gmail.com.
⁸ Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia. eng_tay83@yahoo.com.

Abstract

A halloysite nanotubes⁻polyvinyl alcohol⁻polyvinylpyrrolidone (HNTs⁻PVA⁻PVP) composite has been investigated for a quite long time aiming at improving the physico⁻chemical characterization of HNTs. In this work, HNTs⁻PVA⁻PVP composite were prepared based on a unique procedure characterized by crosslinking two polymers with HNTs. The composite of two polymers were modified by treating HNTs with phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) and by using malonic acid (MA) as a crosslinker. The composite was also treated by adding the dispersion agent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The HNTs⁻PVA⁻PVP composite shows better characteristics regarding agglomeration when HNTs is treated in advance by H₃PO₄. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), brunauer⁻emmett⁻teller (BET), size distribution, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are used to characterize the physio-chemical properties of the composite. FTIR shows additional peaks at 2924.29, 1455.7, and 682.4 cm^-1 compared to the neat HNTs due to adding MA. Despite that, the XRD spectra do not show a significant difference, the decrease in peak intensity could be attributed to the addition of semi-crystalline PVA and the amorphous PVP. The images taken by TEM and FESEM show the possible effects of MA on the morphology and internal feature of HNTs⁻PVA⁻PVP composite treated by MA by showing the deformation of the matrix. The BET surface area increased to 121.1 m²/g compared to the neat HNTs at 59.1 m²/g. This result, the second highest recorded result, is considered a breakthrough in enhancing the properties of HNTs⁻PVA⁻PVP composite, and treatment by MA crosslinking may attribute to the size and the number of the pores. The results from these techniques clearly showed that a significant change has occurred for treated HNTs⁻PVA⁻PVP composite where MA was added. The characterization of HNTs⁻PVA⁻PVP composite with and without treating HNTs and using crosslinker may lead to a better understanding of this new composites as a precursor to possible applications in the dentistry field.

Keywords: Halloysite nanotubes; physico–chemical properties; polyvinyl alcohol; polyvinylpyrrolidone; surface area.