Needleless Electrospinning and Coating of Poly Vinyl Alcohol with Cross-Linking Agent via in-Situ Technique

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) crosslinked nanofibers (crosslinking agent dicarboxylic acid based) were successfully fabricated and coated on Polypropylene (PP) non woven fabric using the high speed needleless electrospinning techniques. Coating density was varied from 0.1-2.0 gms/m2. The obtained webs were characterized for surface morphology (atomic level structural), thermal, water absorbency, mechanical properties, topography (roughness) and chemical analysis. Morphological characterization revealed that on crosslinking nano fibrous web network structure converted into flattened morphological structure as compared to non crosslinked webs. Crosslinking of PVA web is occurred though esterfication reactions. Topography of PVA web is severely affected by crsosslinked reactions. Fibres surface get roughened upon crosslinking the web. New crystalline morphology is developed due to crosslinking reactions as evident by DSC thermographs analysis. The morphological results were consistent and well in agreement with chemical, mechanical, absorbency and surface topography (roughness) analysis of nano fibrous web. In short, the effect of different concentrations of cross linking agent on PVA nano fibrous web, formed by high speed (throughput gms/m2) needless nanospider electrospinning process, on the web morphology and other properties is presented in this work.