Microstructure and free volume evaluation of poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposite hydrogels

A new type of organic/inorganic nanocomposite hydrogel was prepared by introducing small amount of natural montmorillonite (MOM) into a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/sulfonated polyester (PES) system. The crystalline structure and crystallinity degree were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide angle X-ray spectroscopy (WAXS). The presence of PES leads to an increase in the crystallinity degree of the PVA matrix and a significant decrease in the melting temperature. The addition of small amount of clay (1–5%) resulted in an increase of the average crystallite dimension, crystallinity degree and melting temperature, as compared to the PVA/PES system. The presence of the clay resulted in a substantial increase on the free volume size, as suggesting by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). This result suggests a lower packing efficiency of the PVA chain and the formation of a PVA–MOM interfacial layer. This interfacial layer and the increasing of the mobility of the PVA chain by the presence of the clay reflects also in a decrease of the glass transition temperature, determined by dynamic mechanical analysis.