Experimental Studies of UV Irradiation Induced Changes in Optical, Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of PVA/Modified Cellulose Composite

Abstract

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/modified Cellulose composite films with 85:15 wt.% were prepared by solution casting method and subjected to UV irradiation for different intervals of time. The UV irradiation induced modifications in optical, mechanical and morphological properties were studied. The FTIR results confirm the chemical interaction between PVA and Cellulose. The optical absorption also supports the formation of crosslinked network in the polymer composite. The XRD result shows an increase in the amorphousness with increase in UV irradiation time. The Young’s modulus (YM), tensile strength (TS), stiffness and percentage (%) elongation at break (% EB) of the composite films increase with increase in UV irradiation time. The Scanning Electron microscope (SEM)    images    confirm the