Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 November 2013
Nanocomposites of polysaccharide matrices, chitosan-starch and carboxymethyl cellulose-starch reinforced with graphene oxide and graphene grafted with keratin were developed. Composites films had been prepared for the casting/solvent evaporation method. The nanocomposites of chitosan/starch matrix improved substantially their mechanical properties with respect to the film without reinforcing, obtaining an increase of 929 % in the storage modulus (E’ 35°C) with only 0.5 wt% of graphene oxide and outstanding increments in E’ at 150°C and 200°C when keratin grafted graphene oxide is incorporated (0.1 wt%). In contrast, the graphene oxide incorporated into the carboxymethyl cellulose-starch matrix tends to decrease the stiffness of the film behaving in opposite way to nanocomposite of chitosan/starch matrix.