Improving properties of biodegradable chitosan/PVA composite polymers via novel designed ZnO particles

Biodegradable polymers exhibit great potential to be a critical part of the global sustainability solution; however, their application areas are limited due to their inadequate properties for some applications. Although nano metal oxide powders are often used to improve the properties, they exhibit toxicity, phytotoxicity and uncontrolled agglomeration. Recently, designed, micron size, hexagonal platelet particles, which constitute fine primary particles (MicNo®), have been manufactured to exploit advantages of both micron and nano size, while abating the adverse effects of nanoparticles. Accordingly, the research goal of this study was to appraise effects of MicNo® ZnO and Ag-doped MicNo® ZnO particles on structure development and hence properties of chitosan/PVA films. The results show that MicNo® particles improve UV-resistance, mechanical and antibacterial properties of the films much more effectively with respect to nanoparticles due to their novel morphology and demonstrate great potential as new generation additive systems for biodegradable polymers to extend their application areas.