Preparation and Characterization of Alginate/Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Blend Fibers

Abstract

Alginate and poly(vinyl alcohol) blend fibers were prepared by spinning their solution through a viscose‐type spinneret into a coagulating bath containing aqueous CaCl2 and ethanol. The structure and properties of the blend fibers were studied with the aid of infrared spectra (IR), scanning electron micrography (SEM), x‐ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Mechanical properties and water‐retention properties were measured. The best values of the tensile strength of blend fibers, 13.57 cN/tex in the dry state and 3.02 cN/tex in the wet state, respectively, were obtained when the poly(vinyl alcohol) content was 10wt%. The breaking elongation and water‐retention values (WRV) of blend fibers increase as the amount of poly(vinyl alcohol) is raised. Structure analysis indicated that there was strong interaction and a certain level of miscibility between the alginate and poly(vinyl alcohol) molecules.