Abstract
Fullerene C60 (FULL-C60) was used as a nano-filler in the preparation of the chemical-crosslinking polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) by glutaraldehyde (Glut) which, copolymerized with acrylate oligomers, 2-carboxyethyl acrylate (CEA) followed by gamma irradiation. The effect of the FULL-C60 content on the gel content and swelling behavior of Glut-(PVA/CEA)-FULL-C60 copolymer hydrogel was investigated. The results revealed an increase in the gel content and a significant reduction in swelling of the nanocomposite material. There are influences for the PVA molecular weight, fullerene content, and absorbed dose on the gel content of the prepared nanocomposite. The irradiation of chemical crosslinked nanocomposites demonstrated approximately a 90% gelation over a range of 50-300 kGy irradiation doses. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed a homogeneous distribution of nanocomposites in the composite matrix. Improvement in the thermal stability of radiation Glut-(PVA/CEA) and Glut-(PVA-CEA)-FULL-C60 was evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The mechanical properties were examined via dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) which showed significant variation because of the addition of nanocomposites and irradiation doses.