Effect of aldehydes crosslinkers on properties of bacterial cellulose-poly(vinyl alcohol) (BC/PVA) nanocomposite hydrogels

The effects of the aldehydes crosslinkers on properties of the BC/PVA nanocomposite hydrogels were investigated. BC as the reinforcement and PVA as the matrix materials of the BC/PVA nanocomposite hydrogels, the hydrogels were prepared in coagulating bath of sodium sulfate and cross-linked with kinds of aldehydes. The hydrogels were characterized by Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Equilibrium swelling ratio (ESR) tests, mechanical properties tests, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. It was found that the dialdehyde (glyoxal, glutaraldehyde) crosslinkers were more efficient than monoaldehyde (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde) crosslinkers. The ESR, mechanical properties of the BC/PVA nanocomposite hydrogels were obviously influenced by aldehydes crosslinkers. However, their thermo stability and crystallinity were scarcely influenced. The nanocomposite hydrogels described in this study provides information for further development and optimization of a variety of nanofiber-polymer matrix composite hydrogels.