Compounding to new functional PVA gel and evaluation of its material properties

Abstract

Several chemo-mechanical functions of high molecular polymers were studied for the biomimetic properties, sensor and switch function, enormous actuator and output energies as possible candidates for energy transducers etc. So, poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly-sodium-acrylic (PAA - Na) carboxyl group containing PVA were selected as raw-materials from a number of high molecules materials for making up new type gels, especially design of functional hydrogel. The reason why it is PVA gel is several kinds of properties with soft, strength, 3D meshes structure etc. and other PAA - Na gel were possessed of organic radical, ionization, polarize by electronics field etc. For this PAV-PAA-Na hydrogel, tensile tests and swelling examination were carried out in wet condition. The gels microstructure was observed by SEM observation. Many interesting results were found out, so swelling mechanism, various mechanical properties and microstructure of hydrogel was evaluated.