Keratin-polyethylene oxide bio-nanocomposites reinforced with ultrasonically functionalized grapheneElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Results of the DSC analysis of ultrasonically treated PEO films. Nanoindentation measurements of composite films and the keratin-PEO blend with different content ratio. Discussion of the FTIR spectra of composite films. FESEM images of composite films. Optical images of the keratin-PEO blend with different content ratio. See DOI: 10.1039/c5ra12

• Main Authors: Grkovic, M, Stojanovic, D. B, Kojovic, A, Strnad, S, Kreze, T, Aleksic, R, Uskokovic, P. S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 26.10.2015
• ISSN: 2046-2069
• DOI: 10.1039/c5ra12402f

Polyethylene oxide (PEO) functionalized graphene (f-G) was prepared by ultrasonication of pristine graphene in PEO aqueous solution. The feasible sonication protocol of PEO degradation and graphene functionalization enabled fabrication of solvent cast nanocomposites. Additionally, the steps to form new bio-nanocomposite films have been described. Taking the advantage of the combination of graphene, PEO and keratin fibers from poultry feather waste, the aforementioned bio-nanocomposite films were designed with extraordinary properties allowing the films to have promising applications as eventual packaging materials and enabling bio-waste keratin to be converted into value-added materials. Compared to neat PEO, addition of only 0.3 wt% f-G provided an increase of 92% to the storage modulus. These findings are similar to the nanoindentation results, which yielded increases in the reduced modulus of the same composition by about 92%. Nanoindentation testing shows that the incorporation of 0.3 wt% f-G increased the reduced modulus and hardness of the keratin-PEO blend by about 155 and 99%, respectively. Polyethylene oxide (PEO) functionalized graphene (f-G) was prepared by ultrasonication of pristine graphene in PEO aqueous solution.