Design of a Polymer Blend for One-Step Porous Fiber Fabrication

Authors: Mishra, Munmaya K.; Yu, Harrison L.; Molnar, Jeffrey; Baliga, Vicki

Source: Designed Monomers & Polymers, Volume 12, Number 3, 2009 , pp. 273-278(6)

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Abstract:

We demonstrate a novel polymer blend derived from a hydrophobic poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAC) and a hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) that forms a porous fiber in a single step by melt spinning. Polymer fibers of PAA, PVAC, and fibers made of 40:60, 50:50 and 60:40 PVAC/PAA blends were melt-spun and examined with the use of transmitted light microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy. The morphology of melt-spun fibers made from PAA and from PVAC were solid fibers. Fibers melt-spun from the polymer blends of 40%, 50% and 60% PVAC with PAA making the remainder of 100% consisted of a honeycombed, porous fiber structure with some internal cell to cell interconnectivity. It is also noteworthy to mention that fibers melt-spun from PAA only and from PVAC only were very fragile and were difficult to make. However, fibers from the novel blend of PAA and PVAC were spinnable and formed porous fibers that maintained their fiber integrity.

Keywords: POLY(VINYL ACETATE); POLY(ACRYLIC ACID); MELT SPINNING; MORPHOLOGY

Document Type: Regular paper

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156855509X436094

Affiliations: 1: Philip Morris USA Research Center, 4201 Commerce Road, Richmond, VA 23234, USA

Publication date: 2009-05-01