Poly(vinyl alcohol)/pullulan blend nanofibres prepared from aqueous solutions using electrospinning method

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/pullulan (PULL) blend nanofibres were prepared from their aqueous solutions by electrospinning method. Polymer solutions with different concentrations and blend ratios were used to investigate the effect of polymer concentrations and blend ratios on the morphologies and properties of PVA/PULL nanofibres. At a fixed blend ratio, the total polymer concentrations were also adjusted to find suitable electrospinning condition for preparing uniform and bead-free nanofibres. The as-prepared nanofibres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Their mechanical properties were also studied by measuring their tensile strength. The results showed that polymer concentrations and blend ratios have direct influence on the morphologies and properties of PVA/PULL nanofibres. 12 wt.% total polymer concentration and higher PVA contents have been found to be favourable for obtaining uniform and bead free PVA/PULL blend nanofibres with improved mechanical and thermal properties.