Reinforcement on properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) films by embedding functionalized carbon micro coils.

Carbon micro coils (CMCs) were hybridized with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) through esterification reaction. The mixing of as-prepared CMC hybrid with polymer (PVA) matrix was effective to prepare PVA film where the functionalized CMC was homogeneously dispersed and embedded. The presence of CMCs in PVA film heightened the glass transition temperature of PVA. Results of tensile stress and electrical conductivity indicated that overall mechanical and electrical properties of PVA film were enforced by embedding CMC, depending on increase of the CMC concentration. These properties were further reinforced by prefunctionalization of CMC by PVA, because CMC can have an affinity to PVA in matrix through PVA immobilized on CMCs. However, mechanical and electrical properties for both nonfunctionalized and functionalized composites were depressed above a certain CMC concentration, indicating the self-orientation of CMC in the matrix, different from the behavior of carbon black.