title: Effect of pullulan/poly(vinyl alcohol) blend system on the montmorillonite structure with property characterization of electrospun pullulan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/montmorillonite nanofibers.
abstract: Nanofibers of the composite of pullulan (PULL), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and montmorillonite clay (MMT) were prepared using electrospinning method in aqueous solutions. Pullulan is an interesting natural polymer for many of its merits and good properties. Because of biocompatibility and non-toxicity of PVA, it could be used in numerous fields. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were done to characterize the PULL/PVA/MMT nanofibers morphology and properties. XRD patterns and FTIR data demonstrated that there were good interactions between PULL and PVA caused by possibly hydrogen bonds. Moreover, XRD data and TEM images indicated that intercalated and exfoliated MMT nanoplatelets can be obtained within the PULL/PVA/MMT nanofibers depending on the PULL/PVA blend ratios. Furthermore, the thermal stability and mechanical property (tensile strength) of PULL/PVA/MMT nanofibers could be enhanced more by exfoliated MMT nanoplatelets than intercalated structures of that nanoplatelets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Shahidul
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Jeong Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yeum
authors.forename: Ajoy Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D001546:Bentonite / Q000737:chemistry*; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry*; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D057139:Nanofibers; D010316:Particle Size; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D005936:Glucans; D001546:Bentonite; C009109:pullulan; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol