LAUSR

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles have been a popular additive in polymer nanocomposites for versatile applications due to their easy availability, low cost, biocompatibility, high elastic modulus, and high thermal and chemical stability. Among synthesis methods of ZnO particles, such as laser ablation, combustion, electrochemical deposition, sol-gel method, chemical deposition etc., wet chemical precipitation offers a simple, versatile and economic route with high yields of pure products at low operating temperatures with inexpensive equipment. Properties of ZnO crystals synthesized strongly depend on the morphological characteristics of the particles; especially, crystal size, size distribution, crystallinity, porosity, and shape. Presence of additives in crystals synthesis is known to strongly affect nucleation, crystal growth rate, and crystal morphology. Water-soluble polymers can be utilized in controlling particle shapes, sizes, and size distributions [1, 2]. In this study, CMI (carboxymethyl inulin); a biodegradable, environmentally-friendly polysaccharide-based polycarboxylate, was used as an additive in ZnO crystals synthesis by chemical precipitation method. ZnO crystals synthesized in presence of different CMI concentrations were incorporated into PHBV (3-polyhdroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) polymer. PHBV, a bacterial thermoplastic from polyhydroxyalkanoates family, is a promising bio-based and biodegradable polymer. PHBV/ZnO nanocomposites were produced by meltextrusion method. Effects of ZnO crystals of different CMI contents on the properties of PHBV polymer were investigated.