Nylon 6 water-permeable membranes prepared by electron beam radiation-induced graft copolymerization

Nylon 6 films, 25 μm thick, were grafted with polar monomers in aqueous solution following preirradiation with a 550-kV electron beam accelerator. The graft yield rose linearly with grafting period up to 100% graft and leveled off at a graft yield above 150%. At 100 to 200% graft of several acrylic acid derivatives onto the nylon 6 films, water permeation rates comparable to those of PVA and cellophane films were observed. These high water permeation rates of the grafted nylon films were considered as an indication that some of the acrylate copolymers penetrated throughout the matrix of the host polymer. The highest rates of water permeability were observed in nylon acrylamide grafts.     

Enhancing mechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) blown films by drawing and surface crosslinking

Thermal blowing of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) film was successfully realized based on molecular complexation. Ways to enhance the performance of the PVA blown films (drawing and surface crosslinking) were studied. The experimental results showed that water exists in PVA films in different states through hydrogen bonds with PVA and other modifiers and influences the drawability of PVA films, as well as the structure and properties of the stretched films. When the initial water content of the film was higher than 35.0%, the draw ratio of the PVA film was quite large because of the effects of the bound water with PVA, as well as the plasticization of free water. With the increase of the initial water content in PVA, the free water content and draw ratio of the films increased but the strength of the films decreased because of the higher residual water in the films. Surface crosslinking can improve the stretchability of PVA films because more water remains in the films and disrupts the hydrogen bonding of PVA. In addition, crosslinking enhances the mechanical properties of stretched PVA films. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 774–779, 2005     

Polyvinyl alcohol – Zedo gum edible film: Physical,mechanical and thermal properties

The effects of different percentages of Zedo gum (ZG) (10, 20, and 30 w/w%) on the properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films by casting method were investigated in this study. Physical, thermal, optical as well as mechanical properties of neat PVA, PVA/ZG and neat ZG films were also characterized. All blend PVA/ZG films produced homogeneous, flexible and transparent films, while neat ZG could not form flexible films and films were opaque. Moreover, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermal behavior confirmed the formation of hydrogen bonds and subsequently compatibility of the two polymers. In general, reduced moisture content, water solubility and water vapor permeability (WVP) were obtained in the blend films rather than the neat PVA films. However, this reduction tended to increase with a rise in the amount of ZG. Furthermore, films with higher ZG concentration (30%) showed lower mechanical strength than the other blend films but were stronger than neat PVA films. However, low water vapor permeability, high mechanical properties and thermal resistance made this edible film appropriate for packaging different food and non-food applications.     

Antioxidant,antifungal, water binding,and mechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) film incorporated with essential oil as a potential wound dressing material

In this study, the properties of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films incorporated with Zataria multiflora essential oil (ZMO) as a potential antioxidant/antibacterial material was investigated. PVA films were prepared from PVA solutions (2% w/v) containing different concentrations of ZMO. Water solubility, moisture absorption, water swelling, and water vapor permeability for pure PVA films were 57 ± 1.1, 99 ± 3.2%, 337 ± 8%, and 0.453 ± 0.015 g mm/m² h, respectively. Incorporation of ZMO into PVA films caused a significant decrease in water swelling and moisture absorption and increase in solubility and water vapor permeability. Tensile strength, elastic modulus, and elongation at break for pure PVA films were 13.5 ± 0.61 MPa, 15.2 ± 0.8 MPa, and 216 ± 4%, respectively. Incorporation of ZMO into the PVA films caused a significant decrease in tensile strength and elastic modulus and increase in elongation at break of the films. Pure PVA film showed UV‐visible light absorbance ranging from 280 to 440 nm with maximum absorbance at 320 nm. Addition of ZMO caused a significant increase in light absorbance and opacity. PVA films exhibited no antioxidant and antifungal activities, whereas PVA/ZMO films exhibited excellent antioxidant and antifungal properties. Although the bioactivity PVA films were improved by the addition of ZMO, however, the mechanical properties and water binding capacity of the films were weaken slightly. Thus, ZMO emulsified in the ethanol not compatible with PVA matrix and more suitable emulsifier was needed in order to obtain strong film with higher mechanical properties. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40937.     

葡甘聚糖-壳聚糖-聚乙烯醇共混膜的结构表征及性能研究

用溶液共混法制备了葡甘聚糖-壳聚糖-聚乙烯醇共混膜,并用红外光谱(FTIR)、X-射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电镜(SEM)及透光率表征了膜的结构,同时测定了共混膜的力学性能、吸水率、水蒸气透过率。结果表明:共混膜中葡甘聚糖、壳聚糖及聚乙烯醇之间存在着强烈的相互作用和良好的相容性,三者共混明显改善了纯聚合物和二元膜的性能。     

Development and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol) and casein blend films

Blends of plasticized casein (CA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) at various ratios were prepared using the solution‐casting method. The prepared blend solutions were cast onto polystyrene petri plates and bend films were obtained. The characterization of films was performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, tensile testing, thermogravimetric analysis, contact angle measurements and water vapour permeability. According to spectroscopic analysis, there were interactions between the CA and PVA molecules. The tensile test results showed that the tensile strength of CA increased with increasing PVA content. The flexibility of plasticized CA film increased with the incorporation of PVA. The thermal stability and water vapour barrier properties of plasticized CA improved on blending with PVA. As a result, it was seen that blend films were successfully produced using plasticized CA and PVA with potential for use in biodegradable packaging applications. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

Investigation of mechanical properties,antibacterial features,and water vapor permeability of polyvinyl alcohol thin films reinforced by glutaraldehyde and multiwalled carbon nanotube

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) thin films were reinforced by glutaraldehyde and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and then mechanical, water solubility, water swelling, water uptake, water vapor permeability, and antibacterial properties of the films were examined. Cross‐linking by glutaraldehyde or incorporation of MWCNT caused a significant increase in tensile strength, decrease in elongation at break, and increase in Young's modulus of the PVA films, while MWCNTs were more effective rather than that of glutaraldehyde. Cross‐linking by glutaraldehyde or incorporation of MWCNT caused a significant decrease in water solubility, water swelling and water uptake, with a similar manner. Cross‐linking by glutaraldehyde or incorporation of MWCNT caused a significant increase in the light absorbance, while maximum absorbance was at 400 nm. Only PVA/MWCNT films but no PVA/glutaraldehyde showed significant antibacterial activities in a dose‐dependent manner against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. Thus, noncovalent improvement by MWCNT was more effective on the PVA thin films rather than covalent cross‐linking by glutaraldehyde. Our results suggest that the PVA/MWCNT composites films could be used as a very attractive alternative to traditional materials for different biomedical and food applications. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:1736–1743, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Permeation and separation of aqueous alcohol solutions through grafted poly(vinyl alcohol) latex membranes

The poly(vinyl alcohol)–acrylonitrile–2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (PVA–AN–HEMA) grafted latex membrane was synthesized by grafting AN and HEMA mixture on PVA in aqueous solution. The ceric ammonium nitric in nitric acid was was used as a catalyst. This membrane has well-balanced composition of hydrophilic and hydrophobic components and was proved by transition electron microscopy to process microstructure between continuous and disperse phases. The permeability of alcohol–water solution and separativity of phenol–water solution through this PVA–AN–HEMA membrane were studied. It was found that the permeation rate for aqueous solution as as alcohol–water was greater than that for pure water, and the separativity of phenol–water solution by pervaporation increased as the amount of PHEMA increased.     

Fabrication and characteristics of graphene oxide/nanocellulose fiber/poly(vinyl alcohol) film

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), PVA/nanocellulose fiber (CNF), and PVA/CNF/graphene oxide (GO) films were prepared simply by casting stable aqueous mixed solutions. FTIR investigation indicated that hydrogen bonding existed between the interface of GO and PVA‐CNF. Scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis showed that GO was uniformly dispersed in PVA‐CNF matrix. Introducing CNF into PVA caused a significant improvement in tensile strength, and further incorporating GO into PVA/CNF matrix led to a further increase. The tensile strength of the neat PVA film, PVA/CNF composite, and PVA/CNF/GO film (0.6 wt % GO) was 43, 69, and 80 MPa, respectively. Moreover, when incorporating 8 wt % CNF into PVA matrix, O₂ permeability and water absorption decreased from 13.36 to 11.66 cm³/m²/day and from 164.2% to 98.8%, respectively. Further adding 0.6 wt % GO into PVA/CNF matrix resulted in a further decrease of permeability and water absorption to 3.19 cm³/m²/day and 91.2%, respectively. Furthermore, for all composite samples, the transmittance of visible light was higher than 67% at 800 nm. CNF and GO‐reinforced PVA with high mechanical and barrier properties are potential candidates for packaging industry. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45345.     

Mechanical Properties, Biodegradation and Water Vapor Permeability of Blend Films of Soy Protein Isolate and Poly (vinyl alcohol) Compatibilized by Glycerol

Summary Novel blend films of soy protein isolate (SPI) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) compatibilized by glycerol were fabricated by preparing a solution, and then casting it on a Teflon-coated metal sheet. Mechanical, biodegradation and water vapor permeability of the blend properties were systematically investigated with various methods. SEM analysis results release that the SPI/PVA/glycerol film degrades at a slower rate than pure SPI. The mechanical test showed that the stress at yield point, stress at break point and Young’s modulus were decreased and percentage elongation at yield point and percentage elongation at break point and of SPI/PVA were increased obviously than pure SPI films. The blend plastics were softened and became semi-rigid contributing to the plasticization of glycerol and the crystalline partion of PVA was destroyed by glycerol. Water vapor permeability of SPI/PVA/glycerol showed the minimum at the component of SPI/PVA (100/35) compatibilized by 3.5% of glycerol.     

Studies on the properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) film plasticized by urea/ethanolamine mixture

This study investigated the effects of urea/ethanolamine mixture (UE) on the crystallinity, thermal, and mechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films. PVA films were prepared from solutions containing PVA, urea, ethanolamine, and water by casting and evaporating at 50°C for 12 h. The plasticization efficiency of UE was compared with that of glycerol (GL), the conventional plasticizer for PVA. The properties of PVA films plasticized by UE and GL, abbreviated to UE-plasticized PVA film and GL-plasticized PVA film, respectively, were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical testing. It was proved that UE could form more stable hydrogen bonding with the hydroxyl group of PVA molecule and was more effective in breaking the hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl groups. Thus, the crystallinity of UE-plasticized PVA films was lower than that of GL-plasticized PVA films. The melting temperatures of UE-plasticized PVA films were lower than those of GL-plasticized PVA films. It was found that UE-plasticized PVA film showed a higher degradation temperature compared with GL-plasticized PVA film. The degree of swelling of UE-plasticized PVA film was higher than that of GL-plasticized PVA film but solubility (S) of UE-plasticized PVA film was lower in aqueous solution. Furthermore, UE-plasticized PVA films show lower tensile strength and higher elongation at break (E) than those of GL-plasticized PVA films. The tensile strength, E, and Young's modulus of PVA film containing 30% UE mixture reached 50.78 MPa, 591.19% and 76.9 MPa, respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Biodegradable poly(vinyl alcohol)-based nanocomposite film reinforced with organophilic layered double hydroxides with potential packaging application

The continuously increasing plastic wastes and diminishing fossil resources have attracted global attention into research and development of biodegradable packaging materials. In the present study, organophilic layered double hydroxides (OLDH) intercalated with aliphatic long-chain molecules as reinforcing agents were incorporated into biodegradable poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix by a solution casting method. FTIR, XRD and SEM were performed to analyze the structure of PVA/OLDH films. The OLDH nanosheets were well-dispersed in PVA matrix and formed strong interfacial interactions with the PVA chains, leading to remarkable improvements of optical property, mechanical performance, water vapor barrier property and thermal stability. At a loading of only 2% OLDH in PVA, we observed ~67% decrease in haze and ~66% increment in tensile strength in the composite film compared with pure PVA film. Furthermore, a 24.22% decrease in water vapor permeability (enhancement in water vapor barrier property) due to the addition of 0.5 wt% OLDH and enhanced thermal stability could be observed. These results revealed that the overall performance could be improved by introducing OLDH at very low loadings and that the PVA nanocomposite films have potential for future application in packaging films. Therefore, the use of high-performance PVA/OLDH nanocomposite films can evidently promote the application of biodegradable PVA materials in packaging industry.     

Preparation and characterization of films based on crosslinked blends of gum acacia,polyvinylalcohol, and polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine complex

In an attempt to develop iodine-release systems based on polymeric blend for biomedical applications, our research group prepared blends of gum acacia (GA), polyvinylalcohol (PVA), and polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine (PVP-I) complex. The blends of GA/PVA and GA/PVA/PVP-I prepared from the aqueous solutions of the polymers were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde to increase the water resistance of the films and to improve their thermal and mechanical properties. The crosslinked GA/PVA and GA/PVA/PVP-I blend films were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, DSC, and TGA. The swelling behavior of the prepared blends was investigated and crosslinked GA/PVA blend films were found to be pH sensitive. The properties of PVP-I containing blends differed from those prepared without it probably due to the formation of an intermolecular interaction between PVP-I and the hydroxy-polymers. The results indicated that after crosslinking the blends showed improvement in water resistance, thermal, and mechanical properties. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Core-shell particles for design of high-performance polymeric materials with good transparency and toughness

The exfoliated graphene oxides (GOs) prepared via the Hummer’s method were well dispersed in water but re-stacked if drying to a powder form as observed by transmission electron microscope and x-ray diffraction pattern. Hence, they were directly mixed with poly(vinyl alchohol) (PVA) in water to fabricate the PVA/GO nanocomposite films by casting the resulting aqueous solutions and drying. As the nanocomposite films with no less than 5 wt% GO content were subjected to combustion, the char residue could preserve their original film profile acting like an inflammable scaffold. The glassy transition temperature of as-fabricated PVA/GO nanocomposite films barely changed with the content of GO but significantly decreased from ~70 to ~10 °C as environmental relative humidity (RH) was increased from 20 to 80 % due to more moisture adsorption. Therefore, the mechanical behavior of PVA/GO nanocomposite films not only depended on the GO content but also RH, exhibiting from rubbery to glassy status.     

Development and compatibility assessment of new composite film based on sugar beet pulp and polyvinyl alcohol intended for packaging applications

In this study, interaction and compatibility between sugar‐beet pulp (SBP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in blend films was assessed. Film‐forming dispersions of different ratios of SBP to PVA (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, and 25/75) were cast at room temperature. The effects of adding PVA to SBP on the resulting film's physical, mechanical and barrier properties and thermal stability were investigated. X‐ray diffraction and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the composites. When PVA was also added to the composite films, the films became softer, less rigid and more stretchable than pure SBP films. The addition of PVA gave significantly greater elongation at break (12.45%) and lower water vapor permeability (1.55 × 10^?10 g s^?1 m^?1 Pa^?1), but tensile strength did not markedly change, remaining around 59.68 MPa. Thermogravimetric analysis also showed that SBP/PVA film had better thermal stability than SBP film. The ESEM results showed that the compatibility of SBP50/PVA50 was better than those of other composite films. These results suggest that when taking all the studied variables into account, composite films formulated with 50% PVA are most suitable for various packaging applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41354.     

Effect of postcrosslinking modification with glutaraldehyde on the properties of thermoplastic starch/poly(vinyl alcohol) blend films

Thermoplastic starch (TPS)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blend films were modified by crosslinking through soaking the films in glutaraldehyde aqueous solution and then heating in an oven. The effects of the concentration of the glutaraldehyde aqueous solution, soaking time, reaction temperature, and time on the crosslinking reaction were investigated. The moisture absorption and mechanical properties of the films were measured to characterize the influence of the crosslinking modification. It was found that the crosslinking modification significantly reduced the moisture sensitivity of the TPS/PVA blend films and increased the tensile strength and Young's modulus but decreased the elongation at break of the TPS/PVA blend films. The described method could be used for posttreating TPS/PVA‐based products to optimize their properties. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Mixture design applied for the development of films based on starch,polyvinyl alcohol,and glycerol

Starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are biodegradable materials with potentiality to replace the conventional polymers in some applications. The aim of this work was to produce biodegradable films of PVA, cassava starch, and glycerol by thermoplastic extrusion using a mixture design to evaluate the effects of each component in the blend properties. Six formulations were prepared using a twin‐screw extruder coupled with a calender. All the materials were visually homogeneous and presented good processability. Mechanical properties were dependent on both the relative humidity conditioning and the formulation; higher relative humidities detracted the mechanical properties, which was associated to plasticizer effect of the water. Furthermore, the mechanical properties were better when higher concentrations of PVA were used, resulting in films with lower opacity, lower water vapor permeability, and higher thermal stability, according to TGA. Biodegradable materials based on starch, PVA, and glycerol have adequate mechanical and processing properties for commercial production. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42697.     

Enhancement of water barrier properties of cassava starch-based biodegradable films using silica particles

Biodegradable films are used in a variety of applications, including packaging. However, their use is limited due to their high moisture and water sensitivity. In this work, cassava starch (CS) was blended with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). Silica particles (SiO₂) were incorporated to increase the hydrophobicity of the blend by intermolecular interaction through hydrogen bonding between the three components. Instead of a plasticizer or crosslinker, a small amount of triethylamine was added to eliminate residual acetate groups in PVA. The miscibility of CS and PVA phases was confirmed by smooth fracture surfaces and a single glass transition temperature. When SiO₂ content was below 5% (wt), the particles were well dispersed in a continuous phase of polymer matrix. At this loading of SiO₂, the increase in tensile strength was as high as 170% and in elongation-at-break, 250%. All loadings of SiO₂ increased thermal stability of the blend films because silanol groups on the surface of SiO₂ particles formed effective interfacial interactions with hydroxyl groups of the polymers. These interactions also prevented the ingress of water molecules, significantly increasing the hydrophobicity of the films. The water contact angle increased as high as 113° and moisture absorbency and water solubility were low. These highly hydrophobic, photodegradable, biodegradable CS/PVA/SiO₂ films show great potential as a low-cost, eco-friendly material.

     

Composition optimization of polyvinyl alcohol/rice starch/silk fibroin‐blended films for improving its eco‐friendly packaging properties

Biopolymers obtained from renewable sources have been exploited in developing biomaterials with eco‐friendly properties. Most biopolymers have some limitations because of their poor mechanical properties, high water solubility, or low transparencies. In this study, some biopolymers, that is, silk fibroin (SF) and rice starch (RS) were used as starting materials together with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a film‐former for preparing novel eco‐friendly films. The film preparations were done by solution casting with two different sequences of blending and the film compositions were optimized. Results from UV, SEM, and film properties testing on mechanical properties, degree of swelling, water solubility, and also oxygen permeability indicated that all film properties depended on their compositions and order of blending. The PVA/RS film obtained is transparent with good mechanical properties and low water solubility. The addition of SF increases the permeability of oxygen and also the degradability of the films. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Role of adsorbed iodine into poly(vinyl alcohol) films drawn in KI/I2 solution

We have investigated the microstructure of the poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) films using small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS, respectively) techniques. The samples were uniaxially drawn in water or KI/I₂ aqueous solution and then dried in an air-oven at 333 K for 1 h prior to SAXS and WAXS measurements. It was found that for the films drawn in KI/I₂ solution PVA chains in the microfibrillar structure are more extended upon the film drawing compared to the case of the films drawn in pure water, which is resulted from the correlation function analysis on the SAXS data. Adsorbed iodines into the film were anticipated to act as junction points between the microfibrils via the formation of the PVA-iodine complexes.