Thermo-mechanical performance of nanostructured electrospun composites produced from poly(vinyl alcohol) and cellulosic compounds for potential uses as wound dressings

• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2023.126131
• Publication Date: 2023-06-20T06:31:59Z
• Authors: Marta A. Teixeira; Aureliano Fertuzi...; David S. Freitas; Carla Silva; Diana P. Ferreira; Helena P. Felgueiras
• Keywords: Saúde de qualidade; Poly(vinyl alcohol); Engenharia e Tecnologia::Engenharia dos Materiais; Cellulose acetate; Thermal behavior; Quasi-static and dynamic mechanical performances; Cellulose nanocrystalline

Authors acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), FEDER funds by means of Portugal 2020 Competitive Factors Operational Program (POCI) and the Portuguese Government (OE) for funding the project with reference PTDC/CTM-TEX/28074/2017 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028074). Authors also acknowledge project UIDP/00264/2020 of Centre for Textile Science and Technology (2C2T), funded by national funds through FCT/MCTES. M.A.T., D.P.F and H.P.F. also acknowledge FCT for PhD scholarship (SFRH/BD/148930/2019) and junior (CEECIND/02803/2017) and auxiliary researcher (2021.02720.CEECIND) contracts, respectively.<br/>The purpose of this research was to analyze the morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based electrospun mats reinforced with cellulose acetate (CA) or cellulose nanocrystalline (CNC) for potential applications in wound dressings. Bead-free and water-stable electrospun nanofibers made of blends of PVA and CA or CNC were successfully produced and crosslinked with glutaraldehyde vapor. Crosslinking slightly increased the nanofibers’ diameters in order of 43 and 13% for 80/20 PVA/CA and PVA/CNC electrospun mats, respectively, while maintaining their bead-free morphology. Thermogravimetry (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) evaluations were employed to determine the miscibility and the thermal response of the uncrosslinked and crosslinked mats, reporting a reduction in mass loss upon addition of CA and CNC and upon crosslinking process. Polymers’ powder and mats (before and after crosslinking) crystallinity was assessed by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). Crosslinked mats experienced a slight reduction in crystallinity compared to the uncrosslinked. Static and dynamic tensile strength tests revealed that CA and CNC doped mats enhanced the Young's modulus and lowered deformation at failure compared to pristine PVA electrospun mats. Data from storage modulus (E’) demonstrated the strength of the physical interactions formed between PVA and the cellulosic derivatives (either before and after crosslinking), highlighting the stiffness of CA (231.58 MPa for the 80/20 mat) and, particularly, CNC (742.04 MPa for the 80/20 mat). This research uncovered important information concerning the chemical and physical relation between polymeric matrices and additives, essential for the proper selection of materials for wound dressings production.<br/>