Electrospinning fabrication and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol)/waterborne polyurethane nanofiber membranes in aqueous solution

Abstract

Abstract 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. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011