Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol.120, No.4, 2337-2345, 2011
Electrospinning Fabrication and Characterization of Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Waterborne Polyurethane Nanofiber Membranes in Aqueous Solution
Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/waterborne polyurethane (WBPU) nanofiber mats were prepared using electrospinning method with aqueous solutions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), and tensile strength testing machine (ZWICK) were used to characterize the morphology and properties of the PVA/WBPU nanofiber mats. The results showed that the morphologies of PVA/WBPU nanofiber mats changed with the total solid concentration and the mass ratio of PVA/WBPU in the spinning solution. The tensile strength and thermal stability of the fibers could be significantly affected by the WBPU contents. The electrospun PVA/WBPU membranes showed higher water uptake, which would have potential applications in wound dressings. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 120: 2337-2345, 2011