Cellulose nanofibres as biomaterial for nano-reinforcement of poly[styrene-(ethylene-co-butylene)-styrene] triblock copolymer

Cellulose nanofibres (CNFs) obtained from waste mango wood scrap were used for the preparation of nanocomposites with SEBS (poly[styrene-(ethylene-co-butylene)-styrene]) and SEBS-g-MA (SEBS-maleic anhydride grafted). Results revealed the incompatibility of CNFs with unmodified SEBS due to the lack of interaction between polar and nonpolar groups. The polar maleic anhydride groups in SEBS-g-MA (mSEBS) demonstrated a strong interfacial interaction with CNFs showing a compatible association. Nanocomposite films with very minute loading of CNFs [0.005 phr (parts per hundred resin)] resulted in a substantial increment in Young’s modulus (98% increment) and tensile strength (70% improvement) as compared to neat mSEBS film along with increment in elongation at break. The nanocomposite films showed the integration of CNFs as an interwoven thread-like structure in the polymer matrix at 0.001 phr. Polymer coated continuous foam/porous network microstructure was observed at 0.005 phr loading.