Sustainable Cross-Linked PVA/Hard Carbon Composite Films From Rice Husk With Enhanced Antioxidant and Antibacterial Performance
International Journal of Polymer Science, cilt.2026, sa.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 2026 Sayı: 1
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1155/ijps/7605959
- Dergi Adı: International Journal of Polymer Science
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Applied Science & Technology Source, Compendex, INSPEC, Directory of Open Access Journals, Middle East & Africa Database (ProQuest), Materials Science & Engineering Collection (ProQuest), Technology Collection (ProQuest)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, hard carbon, poly(vinyl alcohol), rice husk, sustainable composites
- Kırklareli Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Sustainable utilization of agricultural waste in advanced polymeric materials offers an effective pathway toward environmentally responsible functional systems. In this study, cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite films reinforced with nitric acid–treated hard carbon (HNO3-HC) derived from rice husk were successfully fabricated and systematically investigated. Hard carbon was obtained via high-temperature pyrolysis and subsequently functionalized using nitric acid to improve interfacial compatibility and bioactivity. Composite films containing 1.0, 1.5, and 2.5-wt% HNO₃-HC were prepared by solution casting followed by vapor-phase glutaraldehyde cross-linking. SEM and EDX analyses confirmed homogeneous dispersion of HNO3-HC within the PVA matrix, whereas FT-IR results indicated enhanced hydrogen bonding interactions. Incorporation of HNO3-HC improved thermal stability, increasing the glass transition temperature from 74.9°C (neat PVA) to 84.3°C for the 2.5-wt% composite. Water contact angle values decreased from 43.9° to 34.9°, indicating enhanced surface hydrophilicity. Mechanical testing revealed a transition from stiffness-dominated to ductility-dominated behavior with increasing filler content, with the highest work at break (1426 N·mm) observed for PVA-HC-2.5. Antioxidant activity increased with filler loading, reaching 13.7% (DPPH) and 27.1% (ABTS) inhibition at 60 min for the PVA-HC-2.5 sample. Antibacterial assays demonstrated bacterial reduction of up to 72% against Staphylococcus aureus and 65% against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, also observed for PVA-HC-2.5. In addition, the lowest water contact angle (34.9°) was recorded for the same formulation. These findings establish rice husk–derived HNO3-HC as a promising multifunctional biofiller for PVA, enabling the fabrication of sustainable composite films with consistent and measurable enhancements in antioxidant and antibacterial performance relative to pristine PVA.