What type of study is this?

This is a In Vitro Study study.

February 11, 2026

Fabrication and characterization of PVA–cellulose and PVA–clay composites: structural, mechanical, and in vitro degradation studies

Key Points

The aim is to evaluate the structural, mechanical, and degradation properties of PVA composites reinforced with cellulose and clay.
Fabrication of PVA composites using solvent casting with cellulose and kaolin clay as fillers.
Characterization techniques including XRD, FTIR, inverted microscopy, colorimetry, hardness testing, and tensile analysis were used.
In vitro degradation assessments were conducted in PBS to evaluate weight loss.
Mechanical testing measured tensile strength and ductility of composites.
Cellulose composites exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and higher optical scattering compared to clay composites.
Clay reinforcement improved tensile strength by 24% but reduced ductility, while cellulose balanced both strength and flexibility.
In vitro studies showed cellulose accelerated weight loss during degradation, contrasting with clay's retarding effect.
Thermal analysis indicated clay delayed decomposition of PVA compared to pure PVA.

Abstract

This study investigates the structural, mechanical, and degradation properties of PVA composites (0.15–0.25 mm) reinforced with cellulose and kaolin clay, fabricated via solvent casting. The composites (1–5 wt.% filler) were characterized using XRD, FTIR, inverted microscopy, colorimetry, hardness testing, and tensile analysis. XRD revealed cellulose preserved PVA’s semi-crystalline structure, while clay induced intercalation, expanding interlayer spacing. FTIR confirmed hydrogen bonding between PVA and both fillers, with cellulose enhancing hydrophilicity. Microscopy showed cellulose formed fibrous networks, whereas clay created platelet-rich domains. Cellulose composites exhibited higher optical scattering (55% increase in violet light absorption at 5% loading) compared to clay (15%), correlating with surface roughness. Mechanical testing demonstrated clay’s superior reinforcement, increasing tensile strength by 24% (25.5 MPa) but reducing ductility (105% elongation), while cellulose balanced strength (22 MPa) and flexibility (155% elongation). In vitro degradation in PBS revealed cellulose accelerated weight loss (5.3% over 15 days) due to hydrophilic networks, while clay impeded degradation (3.5%) via tortuous pathways. Thermal analysis highlighted clay’s stabilizing effect, delaying decomposition by 50 °C versue pure PVA. The results indicate that cellulose-reinforced composites are promising for biomedical applications requiring controlled degradability, whereas clay-reinforced composites exhibit superior durability and moisture resistance, making them suitable for packaging. These findings highlight the trade-offs associated with filler selection in tailoring PVA properties for specific end uses.

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