Development of regenerated cellulose/halloysites nanocomposites via ionic liquids

•Regenerated cellulose via ionic liquid (EMIMCl) was cast on glass plate.•The halloysites (HNT) nanofiller was added to reinforce the cellulose matrix.•The mechanical properties and thermal stability were studied.•We report the HNT enhanced the film mechanical properties and thermal stability.•HNT also displayed exceptional intertubular interaction with the cellulose matrix. In this study, regenerated cellulose/halloysites (RC/HNT) nanocomposites with different nanofillers loading were fabricated by dissolving the cellulose in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMIMCl) ionic liquid. The films were prepared via solution casting method and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mechanical properties were investigated by tensile testing. It clearly displayed a good enhancement of both tensile strength and Young's modulus with HNT loading up to 5wt%. As the HNT loadings increased to 5wt%, the thermal behaviour and water resistance rate was also increased. The TEM and SEM images also depicted even dispersion of the HNT and a good intertubular interaction between the HNT and the cellulose matrix.