A Simple Method to Obtain a Swollen PVA Gel Crosslinked by Hydrogen Bonds

A simple method to obtain a physically crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel is reported. In this technique, the PVA solution in pure water was simply cast at room temperature without using any additional chemical. The gelation proceeded during the dehydration after casting the PVA solution into a mold. After the completion of gelation, the swelling ratio of the gel in its equilibrium was measured whenever the solvent water was repeatedly exchanged. The weight gradually decreased due to the elution of non-crosslinked polymers into the solvent, and became constant after sufficient water exchange. The measurements using a Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy and an X-ray diffraction suggested that the crosslinks due to hydrogen bonds and microcrystals were formed during the dehydration process of the PVA solution. We concluded that the sample obtained by the present method is a physically crosslinked polymer network, insoluble in water, i.e., a swollen gel in water. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 114: 1016, 2009