Optimization of PVA/Nano-Bentonite Nanofiber Composite Production for Improving Mechanical and Thermal Properties

Fiber production in nanoscale prepares high surface contact for fibers and leads to the improvement of their properties with respect to other fibers. A convenient and effective method for nanofiber production with different diameters is electrospinning. Various effective parameters on electrospinning processes, including environmental, equipment, and solution variables can produce fibers with different morphologies. PVA has been used in various fields of applied research because of its high thermal stability, biocompatibility, non-toxic and solubility in water. The published reports indicated that properties of the PVA are improved with the addition of bentonite. In this research, to prepare PVA/nano-bentonite nanofiber membrane, the optimum amounts of three effective variables on the above-mentioned processes were determined. According to the obtained results, the voltage of 11 kV, the feeding rate of 0.5 mL/h and bentonite concentration of 3% w/w were optimum conditions for the process of PVA/nano-bentonite nanofiber composite production. In this condition, the average diameter of produced nanofibers was 243 nm with the standard deviation of 0.0551 and the tensile strength of 7.64 MPa. The results showed that the addition of bentonite to PVA increase intensity of nanofibers and decrease the diameter of nanofibers from 308 nm to 243nm.Therfore, the produced PVA/bentonite nanofiber composite is a good membrane for water treatment.