Cellular Structures of Polyvinyl Alcohol Foams Prepared by the Batch Method

In this study, foaming process of polyvinyl alcohol with the addition of some compounds was investigated using the batch foaming technique. The reason for the crystalline structure in polyvinyl alcohol is presence of strong hydrogen bonds between its chains. By adding some plasticizers and additives, these strong bonds can be broken and new bonds can be formed. Studies show that the foamability of semi-crystalline polyvinyl alcohol biopolymer was improved significantly after adding softener and nanoparticles as nucleating agent. Various analyzes showed that suitable intermolecular interactions occur in polyvinyl alcohol and its blends in turn expand the processability window of polyvinyl alcohol. Polyvinyl alcohol is a very suitable option for tissue engineering applications due to its non-toxicity and high biocompatibility. Considering this case, it is very important to examine the morphology of the produced sponges using a scanning electron microscope and study the cell structures of the resulting foam. It was found that by changing the operational variables and adding different polymer compounds, a significant change in the structure and cell density of polymer foams was observed. Also, the cell size distribution, cell density and porosity of the produced foams can be controlled by adding certain amount of additives and changing pressure and temperature.