Structure and properties of starch/PVA/nano-SiO2 hybrid films

► Starch/polyvinyl alcohol/nano-silicon dioxide biodegradable hybrid films were prepared by the sol-gel method. ► A gel network was formed to improve the performance of the starch/PVA/nano-SiO2 hybrid films. ► The crystal structure of the films was increased due to the addition of nano-SiO2. ► The addition of nano-SiO2 also delays aging of the films. ► However, the presence of nano-SiO2 has no significant influence on the biodegradability of the films.