CHEMICAL CROSSLINKING OF POLY (VINYL ALCOHOL)/ POLY ETHYLENE GLYCOL WITH GLUTARALDEHYDE NANOFIBERS

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/ poly ethylene glycol (PEG) with different concentration were prepared by electrospinning and chemically crosslinked using glutaraldehyde (GA) to improve the water resistance of nanofibers. The effects of the different concentration of PEG on the solution properties of PVA/PEG/GA blends and on the morphology of the resultant nanofibers were studied. The surface morphology and the average diameter of the blend nanofibers are dependent on initially added PEG concentrations. The effects of the glutaraldehyde on the morphology, average diameter, contact angle, mechanical properties and swelling properties of the PVA/PEG nanofibers were examined. The PVA/PEG/GA nanofiber mats were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) . The swelling and water uptake ability resulted in no morphological changes in the fibers with GA crosslinking.