A comprehensive study on Plantago ovata/PVA biocompatible nanofibers: Fabrication,characterization, and biological assessment

In this study, a biocompatible nanofiber is fabricated using Plantago ovata mucilage (POM) combined with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which is considered as a non-toxic polymer. High quality nanofibers were produced by controlling the electrospinning parameters after selecting an appropriate solvent for the POM/PVA combination (12% PVA and 3% POM). Electrospinning parameters, including high voltage, distance from collector to tip, feed rate and POM to PVA proportion were optimized following preparation of an aqueous POM/PVA solution. Using the results of scanning electron microscopy, the optimized electrospinning conditions for producing POM/PVA nanofibers were determined (high voltage = 18 kV, distance = 15 cm, feed rate = 0.125 ml/hr, PMM/PVA = 50/50) and uniform nanofibers with an average diameter of 250 nm were produced. The POM/PVA nanofiber sample was evaluated by determining the mechanical strength, characterization of produced nanofiber morphology, and investigating the cell viability by applying MTT assay. The bands for both POM and PVA from FTIR results showed that the samples remained stable. The tensile strength results showed that blending POM with PVA solution enhanced the Young's modulus by factor of 3.2 (0.2 MPa to 0.64 MPa). The MTT analysis on POM/PVA cell lines proved that the produced nanofiber considerably enabled the cellular proliferation. Enhancement in these analysis indicated how POM-based nanofibers is a promising scaffold for cell culture, drug delivery systems and food additives.     

Three‐layered electrospun PVA/PCL/PVA nanofibrous mats containing tetracycline hydrochloride and phenytoin sodium: A case study on sustained control release,antibacterial, and cell culture properties

The main objective of this work was to prepare a tailor‐made electrospun nanofibrous samples based on poly(?‐caprolactone) (PCL) containing tetracycline hydrochloride (TC‐HCl) as a middle layer and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) including phenytoin sodium (PHT‐Na) as lateral layers. The characterizations of the three‐layered electrospun samples were carried out by using SEM, ATR‐FTIR spectroscopy along with swelling/weight loss, UV–vis spectrophotometry as well as HPLC, antibacterial and MTT tests. The SEM micrograph images showed that the average diameter of PCL nanofibers was decreased from 243 ± 7 nm to 181 ± 5 nm by adding TC‐HCl. The hydrolytic degradation of PVA nanofibers in the exposure of phosphate buffer solution (PBS) was confirmed by ATR‐FTIR results in which a change at the intensity of the characteristic peak located at 3333 cm^?1 corresponding to hydroxyl groups (? OH) was observed. The UV–vis outcomes revealed a sustained control release of TC‐HCl from the three‐layered nanofibrous samples (PVA/PCL/PVA) with an amount of about 43% compared to the PCL nanofibers which had an ultimate release of the drug about 79%. Furthermore, the HPLC chromatograms showed the released PHT‐Na from PVA nanofibers about 87%. Finally, the MTT assay along with the antibacterial evaluation exhibited that the surfaces of these electrospun three‐layered nanofibrous samples have no cytotoxicity as well as the controlled release of TC‐HCl from them enabled their prolonged use for preventing the bacterium growth such as S. aureus during 24‐h treatment time. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43309.     

Improving ultraviolet light photocatalytic activity of polyaniline/silicon carbide composites by Fe-doping

It was aimed to prepare polyaniline (Pani) composites, including silicon carbide (SiC) nanofibers doped with iron (Fe) ions. The Fe-doping of SiC was performed to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the composites through the separation of photoexcited mobile charge carriers. For comparison purposes, Pani composites were also prepared with undoped SiC nanofibers. The composite samples were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and UV–Vis spectroscopies. Experiments on photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under ultraviolet light irradiation revealed that Pani/SiC-Fe composites exhibited higher photocatalytic activity when compared with Pani/SiC composites. Almost 22% dye removal was obtained within 300 min with the Pani composite, containing 15 wt.% SiC-Fe. FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and UV–Vis spectroscopies demonstrated that SiC nanofibers were successfully doped with iron ions and incorporated into the polyaniline matrix. The original aspect of this study was to research the photocatalytic activity of polyaniline composites containing Fe-doped SiC nanofibers. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48524.     

Cross-linked electrospun polyvinyl alcohol/sodium caseinate nanofibers for antibacterial applications

In this study, the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium caseinate (SC) nanofibers were produced by a single-fluid electrospinning method from their blends. Afterward, the cross-linking process with two different methods was applied to the PVA/SC (70/30, v/v) ratio, which was selected according to the surface and mechanical properties of the electrospun mat. In the first method, different ratios (15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%) of glutaraldehyde (GLA) cross-linking agents were added to the PVA/SC solution and then, PVA/SC/GLA nanofibers were obtained. In the second method (in-situ method), the nanofibers obtained from the PVA/SC solution were cross-linked by dipping into the cross-linking solution. After, PVA/SC/GLA/Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NP) mats were obtained by adding ZnO NP at different rates to the PVA/SC/GLA (7030-25GLA) solution, which was chosen according to the results of thermal, mechanical, and moisture test. In addition, performing tests, a cytotoxicity test for fibroblast cell line (L929), and in vitro antibacterial test for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were also applied to them. Therefore, the usability of PVA/SC/GLA/ZnO NP nanofibers as an antibacterial effective wound dressing was investigated. Due to the high toxic effect of GLA, it was found that PVA/SC/ZnO cross-linked nanofibers are not suitable for wound dressing use. However, it was determined that the PVA/SC nanofiber cross-linked by the in-situ method had high cell viability according to the cytotoxicity test result and thus could be used as a fibroblast tissue scaffold.     

Decoration of reduced graphene oxide with polyaniline film and their enhanced microwave absorption properties

Fabrication of nanofibers with some biomaterials based on natural materials (collagen) through electrospinning is an important area for research. The effect of collagen coating on polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber surfaces was studied here. In this work, PCL nanofibers with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanopowder were used for the development of active wound dressings. We used glacial acetic acid as an environmentally benign solvent. The prepared nanofibers were coated with collagen by soaking the scaffold in 10 mg/mL and 20 mg/ml collagen solution overnight. The samples produced were subjected to contact angle measurements, SEM, FTIR, and XRD, and mechanical strength was determined. Nanofibers in the range of 200–800 nm were produced. The other study confirmed the physical interaction between collagen and PCL. The hydrophilicity of PCL nanofibers was increased; this was confirmed by observing contact angle values. A hydrophilic surface on the scaffold is necessary for biomedical applications. FTIR have proved the presence of an amide group on the PCL structure that facilitates cell adhesion and proliferation. SEM images have clearly proved the formation of nanofibers as well as the attachment of collagen to PCL nanofibers. XRD has shown the crystalline nature of the PCL polymer. PCL can impart more mechanical strength, although incorporation of collagen has decreased the tensile strength to some extent.     

Fabrication and characterization of chitosan/PVA with hydroxyapatite biocomposite nanoscaffolds

Nanofibrous biocomposite scaffolds of chitosan (CS), PVA, and hydroxyapatite (HA) were prepared by electrospinning. The scaffolds were characterized by FTIR, SEM, TEM, and XRD techniques. Tensile testing was used for the characterization of mechanical properties. Mouse fibroblasts (L929) attachment and proliferation on the nanofibrous scaffold were investigated by MTT assay and SEM observation. FTIR, TEM, and XRD results showed the presence of nanoHA in the scaffolds. The scaffolds have porous nanofibrous morphology with random fibers in the range of 100–700 nm diameters. The CS/PVA (90/10) fibrous matrix (without HA) showed a tensile strength of 3.1 ± 0.2 MPa and a tensile modulus 10 ± 1 MPa with a strain at failure of 21.1 ± 0.6%. Increase the content of HA up to 2% increased the ultimate tensile strength and tensile modulus, but further increase HA up to 5–10% caused the decrease of tensile strength and tensile modulus. The attachment and growth of mouse fibroblast was on the surface of nanofibrous structure, and cells' morphology characteristics and viability were unaffected. A combination of nanofibrous CS/PVA and HA that mimics the nanoscale features of the extra cellular matrix could be promising for application as scaffolds for tissue regeneration, especially in low or nonload bearing areas. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Immobilization of horseradish peroxidase on electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol)–polyacrylamide blend nanofiber membrane and its use in the conversion of phenol

Electrospun nanofibers, with their porous structures, high surface-to-volume ratio, and good mechanical properties, are used as a support material for enzyme immobilization. In this study, the poly(vinyl alcohol) and polyacrylamide bicomponent (PVA–PAAm) nanofibers were fabricated via the electrospinning method. Synthesized PAAm was characterized with size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Nanofibers were characterized by fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). DSC and TGA analyses showed that the nanofibers were more durable than PVA and PAAm polymers. SEM images demonstrated that all nanofibers possessed uniform and smooth structures (average diameter about 300 nm). FTIR results have shown that PAAm successfully participates in nanofiber structure. The produced nanofibers were used as support material for covalent immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The optimum temperature for free HRP was 45 °C, whereas it was 50 °C for the immobilized enzyme. The immobilized HRP showed better storage and thermal stability than free HRP. The kinetic parameters (K _m and V _max) were found to be 2.42 mM and 0.027 U for the immobilized HRP and 1.86 mM and 0.079 U for the free HRP, respectively. The immobilized enzyme could be used effectively for 25 cycles with 54% retention of the activity. The immobilized HRP was also used for the conversion of phenol. Phenol removal was found to be about 29.68% at 180 min in real wastewater. The novel PVA–PAAm nanofibrous material was successfully used as a support material for covalent immobilization of HRP. Immobilized enzymes such as oxido-reductases onto the PVA–PAAm bicomponent nanofiber could be recommended in the treatment of organic pollutants in industrial effluents.

     

聚乙烯醇纳米纤维膜的制备

采用静电纺丝方法制备了聚乙烯醇(PVA)纳米纤维,探讨了工艺参数对纳米纤维形貌的影响,并对PVA纳米纤维膜进行热处理,研究了热处理时间与温度对纳米纤维膜力学性能的影响。研究表明:PVA质量分数在6%~10%区间内变化时,可得到直径分布较为均匀的纳米纤维;在其它条件相同时,随纺丝电压的升高,PVA纳米纤维的不匀增大;接收距离的改变对PVA纳米纤维的直径变化影响不大;随PVA质量分数的增加,纳米纤维膜的断裂强度和断裂伸长率逐渐增大;在热处理时间相同时,PVA纳米纤维膜的断裂强度随温度的升高而增大;处理温度相同时,随处理时间的延长,PVA纳米纤维膜的断裂强度变化不大。     

Fumed SiO2 nanoparticle reinforced biopolymer blend nanocomposites with high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss for flexible organic electronics

In the present study, fumed silica (SiO₂) nanoparticle reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) blend nanocomposite films were prepared via a simple solution‐blending technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to elucidate the successful incorporation of SiO₂ nanoparticles in the PVA/PVP blend matrix. A thermogravimetric analyzer was used to evaluate the thermal stability of the nanocomposites. The dielectric properties such as dielectric constant (?) and dielectric loss (tan δ) of the PVA/PVP/SiO₂ nanocomposite films were evaluated in the broadband frequency range of 10^?2 Hz to 20 MHz and for temperatures in the range 40–150 °C. The FTIR and UV–vis spectroscopy results implied the presence of hydrogen bonding interaction between SiO₂ and the PVA/PVP blend matrix. The XRD and SEM results revealed that SiO₂ nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the PVA/PVP blend matrix. The dielectric property analysis revealed that the dielectric constant values of the nanocomposites are higher than those of PVA/PVP blends. The maximum dielectric constant and the dielectric loss were 125 (10^?2 Hz, 150 °C) and 1.1 (10^?2 Hz, 70 °C), respectively, for PVA/PVP/SiO₂ nanocomposites with 25 wt % SiO₂ content. These results enable the preparation of dielectric nanocomposites using a facile solution‐casting method that exhibit the desirable dielectric performance for flexible organic electronics. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134 , 44427.     

Study of electrospinning of sodium alginate,blended solutions of sodium alginate/poly(vinyl alcohol) and sodium alginate/poly(ethylene oxide)

Alginate is an interesting natural biopolymer for many of its merits and good biological properties. This paper investigates the electrospinning of sodium alginate (NaAlg), NaAlg/PVA‐ and NaAlg/PEO‐ blended systems. It was found in this research that although NaAlg can easily be dissolved in water, the aqueous NaAlg solution could not be electrospun into ultrafine nanofibers. To overcome the poor electrospinnability of NaAlg solution, synthetic polymers such as PEO and PVA solutions were blended with NaAlg solution to improve its spinnability. The SEM images of electrospun nanofibers showed that the alginate (2%, w/v)–PVA (8%, w/v) blended system in the volume ratio of 70 : 30 and the alginate (2%, w/v)–PEO (8% w/v) blended system in the volume ratio of 50 : 50 could be electrospun into finest and uniform nanofibers with average diameters of 118.3 nm (diameter distribution, 75.8–204 nm) and 99.1 nm (diameter distribution, 71–122 nm), respectively. Rheological studies showed a strong dependence of spinnability and fiber morphology on solution viscosity and thus on the alginate‐to‐synthetic polymer (PVA or PEO) blend ratios. FTIR studies indicate that there are the hydrogen bonding interactions due to the ether oxygen of PEO (or the hydroxyl groups of PVA) and the hydroxyl groups of NaAlg. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

Electrospun polyvinyl alcohol/waterborne polyurethane composite nanofibers involving cellulose nanofibers

TEMPO‐oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNs) were used as nanofillers in this work. Composite nanofibers of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/waterborne polyurethane (WPU) reinforced with TOCNs were produced by electrospinning. The reinforcing capability of TOCNs was investigated by tensile tests. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction, and thermogravimetry analyses were also carried out in order to characterize the appearance, crystallinity, and reinforcing effect of the cellulose nanofibers. SEM results showed that PVA/WPU/TOCNs composite nanofibers presented a highly homogeneous dispersion of TOCNs. The reinforced composites had about 44% increase in their mechanical properties with addition of only 5 wt % of TOCNs while about 42% decrease in elongation at break. The TOCNs reinforced composite nanofibers were more thermally stable than pure PVA/WPU nanofibers. The development of crystalline structure in the composite fibers was observed by XRD. Since PVA, WPU, and TOCNs are hydrophilic, non‐toxic, and biocompatible, and therefore, these nanocomposite nanofibers could be used for tissue scaffolding, filtration materials, and medical industries as wound dressing materials. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 41051.     

Synthesis,characterisation and enhanced properties of polyimide/mica hybrid films

Polyimide/mica (PI/mica) hybrid films were prepared from pyromellitic dianhydride/4,4-bis(3-aminophenoxy)biphenyl (PMDA/4,3-BAPOBP) and mica in a solution of N,N-dimethylacetamide. The structure–property relationships of the composites were studied by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. FTIR indicated successful preparation of PI/mica hybrid films. XRD and SEM results indicated that the mica was well dispersed in the PI matrix. The dependence of morphology, glass transition temperatures (T_g), dielectric properties and mechanical properties at room temperature of the hybrid films on the content of mica was discussed. It was observed that T_g, the breakdown strength and tensile strength of the hybrid films, could be simultaneously increased when the mica content was lower than 8?wt-%. Meanwhile, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of PI/mica hybrid films increased with the increase in the mica content.     

Effect of graphene loading on thermomechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)/starch blend

Polymer nanocomposites based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/starch blend and graphene were prepared by solution mixing and casting. Glycerol was used as a plasticizer and added in the starch dispersion. The uniform dispersion of graphene in water was achieved by using an Ultrasonicator Probe. The composites were characterized by FTIR, tensile properties, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis, and FE‐SEM studies. FTIR studies indicated probable hydrogen bonding interaction between the oxygen containing groups on graphene surface and the –OH groups in PVA and starch. Mechanical properties results showed that the optimum loading of graphene was 0.5 wt % in the blend. XRD studies indicated uniform dispersion of graphene in PVA/starch matrix upto 0.5 wt % loadings and further increase caused agglomeration. Thermal studies showed that the thermal stability of PVA increased and the crystallinity decreased in the presence of starch and graphene. FE‐SEM studies showed that incorporation of graphene increased the ductility of the composites. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41827.     

Carboxymethyl cellulose reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) with trimethylol melamine as a chemical crosslinker

In this investigation, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)‐reinforced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared with trimethylol melamine as a chemical crosslinker. The structure and property of hydrogels were measured by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), texture analysis, and rheometry. The FTIR spectra demonstrated that the etherification reaction successfully occurred in the PVA–CMC hydrogels, and the SEM figures exhibited the homogeneous porous structure of the CMC–PVA hydrogels. The compression strength of the PVA–CMC hydrogels was 15 times higher than that of the PVA hydrogels. Moreover, the PVA–CMC hydrogels exhibited a higher storage modulus than that of the PVA hydrogels; this illustrated better elasticity for the PVA–CMC hydrogels. As a result, CMC‐modified PVA hydrogels with high mechanical behavior will broaden the potential applications of hydrogels, such as in wound dressings, facial masks, and skin‐protection layers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44590.     

Electrospinning fabrication and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol)/montmorillonite nanofiber mats

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/montmorillonite clay (MMT) nanofiber mats have been fabricated by the electrospinning technique. The PVA/MMT nanofiber mats were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and mechanical measurements. The study showed that the introduction of MMT results in improvement in tensile strength, and thermal stability of the PVA matrix. XRD patterns and SEM micrographs suggest the coexistence of exfoliated MMT layers over the studied MMT contents. FTIR revealed that there might be possible interaction occurred between the MMT clay and PVA matrix. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

芳纶纳米纤维增强聚乙烯醇复合膜的制备与性能

以芳纶纤维Kevlar@49为原料,在温和条件下制备了芳纶纳米纤维分散体(ANFS),并利用分散体制备了芳纶纳米纤维/聚乙烯醇(ANFs/PVA)复合膜。通过傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)仪、差示扫描量热(DSC)仪、原子力显微镜(AFM)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、电子万能试验机及透光度/雾度测定仪等考察了复合膜的微观结构、热学、光学及力学性能。FTIR证明,复合膜中ANFs与PVA具有一定的分子间氢键作用,促进了ANFs在PVA基体中的分散。由AFM和SEM可以清晰观察到直径为20~30 nm的芳纶纳米纤维分散体,并且通过SEM观察到复合膜表面较为平整。当芳纶纳米纤维质量分数为6.0%时,复合膜的抗拉强度为17.86 MPa,断裂伸长率为442%;透光度为82.63%,雾度为27.56%;玻璃化温度,熔融温度和结晶温度分别为75.20、208.82和174.51℃,表明其透光性良好,力学和热学性能达到最佳。     

Electrospinning of chitosan/PVA nanofibrous membrane at ultralow solvent concentration

In this work, chitin flakes were deacetylated with 50% (w/v) sodium hydroxide under nitrogen atmosphere at 120 °C for 80 min to obtain chitosan. The chitosan produced was characterized for degree of deacetylation (DD) and molecular weight. Chitosan with the DD of 78–80% was reproducibly obtained. Molecular weight showed an inverse relationship with concentration of NaOH. Chitosan nanofibrous membrane was prepared via the electrospinning of chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol (CH/PVA) aqueous solutions with varying blend compositions. The characteristics of CH/PVA nanofibrous membranes were studied as a function of viscosity of solution and applied voltage. A uniform nanofibrous membrane of average fibre diameter of 80–300 nm was obtained with blend of 2% (w/v) chitosan solution in 1% (v/v) acetic acid and 5% (w/v) PVA in distilled water in the electric field of 20–25 kV with varying proportion of CH/PVA. With the CH/PVA mass ratios; 40/60 to 10/90, electrospinning of nanofibres could be done. The electrospun nanofibrous membrane was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM images showed that the morphology and diameter of the nanofibres were mainly affected by the weight ratio of CH/PVA. XRD and FTIR confirmed the strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the molecules of Chitosan and PVA.     

Piezoelectric electrospun polyacrylonitrile with various tacticities

Electrospinning of urea clathrate polymerized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with isotacticity 25% and 52% was achieved in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) at room temperature. Although the molecular weights of the 25% and 52% were found to be comparable by size exclusion chromatography, creation of uniform nanofibers with comparable diameters (average of ~450 nm) required concentrations of 5 % w/v and 3.5% w/v, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis demonstrated that the polymer retained semicrystalline structure and suggested that crystallinity was correlated with increasing isotacticity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) also confirmed increased crystallinity as compared to commercially purchased free-radical polymerized PAN due to a shift in the ~1250 cm⁻¹ methine peak. Periodic semistatic normal load piezoelectric testing of the electrospun isotactic PAN samples also exhibited an average of ~30% of the piezoelectric response of electrospun (65:35) poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE), a current gold standard for piezoelectric polymers, whereas commercially purchased free-radical polymerized PAN exhibited no observable piezoelectric response. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47530.     

A novel approach for extracting cellulose nanofibers from lignocellulosic biomass by ball milling combined with chemical treatment

Cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were isolated from kenaf fibers and wheat straw by formic acid (FA)/acetic acid (AA), peroxyformic acid (PFA)/peroxyacetic acid (PAA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) treatment; and subsequently through ball milling treatment. Characterization of extracted cellulose and cellulose nanofibers was carried out through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). TEM images showed that extracted cellulose nanofibers had diameter in the range of 8–100 nm. FTIR and XRD results implied that hemicellulose and lignin were mostly removed from lignocellulosic biomass with an increase in crystallinity, and isolation of cellulose nanofibers was successful. The TGA results showed that decomposition temperature of cellulose nanofibers increased by about 27°C when compared with that of untreated lignocellulosic biomass. No significant change was observed in the decomposition temperature of bleached celluloses after ball milling. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 42990.     

Preparation and characterization of high strength and high modulus PVA fiber via dry-wet spinning with cross-linking of boric acid

To improve the mechanical properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers, a series of PVA fibers were prepared via dry-wet spinning with cross-linking of boric acid (BA) (PVA/BA fibers), and using the mixed solvent of dimethyl sulfoxide and water. Moreover, the final PVA/BA fibers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetery (DSC), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and yarn strength tester. Furthermore, with the increasing of BA content, FTIR analysis showed that the degree of crosslinking of BA with PVA increased. SEM images of final PVA/BA fibers presented smooth surfaces, and the diameters decreased firstly and then increased. DSC, TGA, and XRD analysis indicated that the melting temperatures, thermal properties and crystallinities first increased and then decreased with the increasing of BA content. In addition, mechanical properties measurements illustrated that the cross-linking existed at an optimal BA content of 0.3 wt%, and PVA/BA-0.3 fiber had the highest tensile strength and Young's modulus of 13.1 ± 0.4 and 360.2 ± 10.4 cN/dtex, respectively.