Enhanced mechanical properties of chitosan/nanodiamond composites by improving interphase using thermal oxidation of nanodiamond

Polymer composite films based on chitosan (CS) and nanodimaond (ND) were prepared using solution casting method. ND with variable contents of carboxylic functional group was prepared using thermal oxidation at temperature of 420 °C under air atmosphere at various durations of 1.5 and 4.5 h. The interfacial interaction between NDs and CS and morphological evolution of CS in presence of NDs were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. A significant improvement in tensile strength (∼85%) and tensile modulus (∼125%) of CS was achieved by oxidized ND (OND) obtained at higher oxidation time of 4.5 at low concentrations (below 1.5 wt%). Theoretical analyses based on micromechanical models showed that the ND with higher degree of carboxylic functionality provided thicker and stronger interphase region which was reflected in higher mechanical properties. The equilibrium water uptake of CS decreased by incorporating ND and increasing its degree of carboxyl functionality.