PVA-PDMS-Stearic acid composite nanofibrous mats with improved mechanical behavior for selective filtering applications

In this work, we report a facile way to fabricate composite nanofibrous mats of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and stearic acid (SA) by employing the electrospinning-technique, with PDMS fraction ranging from 40w% to nearly 80w%. The results show that for a predetermined fraction of PVA and SA, incorporation of an optimal amount of PDMS is necessary for which the mats exhibit the best mechanical behavior. Beyond this optimal PDMS fraction, the mechanical properties of the composite mats deteriorate. This result has been attributed to the ability of the SA molecules to mediate binding between the PVA and PDMS long-chain molecules via van-der-Waals bonding. The morphological, structural, mechanical, and thermal characterizations respectively using SEM, XRD, DMA/tensile test, and DSC lend support to this explanation. By this method, it is possible to control the hydrophilicity/oleophilicity of the mats, and the mats show an excellent selective permeability to oil as compared to water and successfully filter water from a water-in-oil emulsion. Incorporation of SA not only serves to aid in electrospinning of a PDMS-rich nanofibrous mat with good mechanical strength and control over hydrophilicity/oleophilicity, but also has a potential use in fabricating sheets impregnated with phase change materials for thermal energy storage.