Enhanced stability of PVA electrospun fibers in water by adding cellulose nanocrystals

Abstract

The solubility of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofiber mats (PVA ES-NFM ) is strongly influenced by loading with nanocellulose (NC). The NC was derived from hemp shives obtained by steam explosion autohydrolysis followed by water and alkaline extraction, ball milling, and ultrasonication treatments. It was demonstrated for the first time that PVA ES-NFM does not disintegrate in aqueous medium after simple adding of NC without any additional chemical or physical modification (PVA ES-NFM NC). The structural and thermal studies on PVA ES-NFM NC indicated that enhanced stability in aqueous medium can be explained by interactions between surface groups of NC and PVA macromolecules as well as by reinforcing the effect of NCs. The experimental findings could be important for filtration applications in environments with high relative humidity.

Mechanical reinforcement of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) by α‐FeOOH nanowires

“…The average diameter is slightly decreased (from 0.506 ± 0.164 µm to 0.361 ± 0.104 µm) if α‐FeOOH nanowires are added. This kind of behavior has been widely reported in case of electrospun composite nanofibers , where some polymer fraction is replaced by modifying filler. The average diameters of fibers containing 0, 1, 2.5, 5 and 10 wt% of goethite were 0.506 ± 0.164, 0.447 ± 0.121, 0.397 ± 0.078, 0.411 ± 0.109 and 0.361 ± 0.104 µm, respectively.…”

“…A variety of approaches that have been developed to improve the properties of PVA have been reviewed by several authors . One of the most promising methods, modification of PVA by nanoparticle additives has gained increasing attention . In general, the significant enhancements observed in nanoparticle‐reinforced polymers are attributed to an interphase, a region surrounding the inclusions where the properties differ from the bulk.…”

Preparation of Electrospun Polyvinyl Alcohol/Nanocellulose Composite Film and Evaluation of Its Biomedical Performance

“…Elliott et al, prepared PVA/CNC composites by electrostatic spinning [15], and the mechanical properties of composites were reinforced by thermal treatment. Anna et al, prepared PVA/NC nanofibers by electrostatic spinning, which improved the crystallinity of the nanofiber membranes [16], leading to an increase in both stability and melting temperature. However, the previous study did not investigate the effects of hydrogen bonding interactions between PVA and NC on the various properties of composites.…”

Mechanical properties of individual fiber segments of electrospun lignocellulose‐reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol)

“…Mechanical strength of PVA and its resistance to water can be improved by chemical crosslinking by using aldehydes, carboxylic acids, or anhydrides, or by physical techniques such as γ‐irradiation, UV irradiation, or annealing . However, in terms of sustainability, the most promising and “greenest” route of improving both water resistance and mechanical strength of PVA is the addition of cellulose or lignocellulose nanocrystals . Oblong cellulosic nanofillers act as reinforcing component in the polymer matrix.…”

“…8,9 However, in terms of sustainability, the most promising and "greenest" route of improving both water resistance and mechanical strength of PVA is the addition of cellulose or lignocellulose nanocrystals. 4,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Oblong cellulosic nanofillers act as reinforcing component in the polymer matrix. The modulus of elasticity for cellulose nanocrystals isolated from natural fibers is very high-from 80 to 150 GPa in the axial direction and 10 to 50 GPa in the radial direction.…”