Mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties of methylcellulose/cellulose nanocrystals nanocomposites

In this work, the effects of incorporating cellulose nanocrystals from soy hulls (WSH 30 ) on the mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties of methylcellulose (MC) nanocomposites were evaluated. MC/WSH 30 nanocomposite films with different filler levels (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10%) were prepared by casting. Compared to neat MC film, improvements in the mechanical and barrier properties were observed, while thermal stability was retained. The improved mechanical properties of nanocomposites prepared may be attributed to mechanical percolation of WSH 30 , formation of a continuous network of WSH 30 linked by hydrogen interactions and a close association between filler and matrix.