Thermal Behavior with Mechanical Property of Fluorinated Silane Functionalized Superhydrophobic Pullulan/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Blends by Electrospinning Method

Fluorinated silane functionalized superhydrophobic pullulan/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PULL/PVA) blend membrane with water contact angle larger than 150 degrees has been prepared by the electrospinning method. The morphology, thermal stability, and mechanical property of the membranes are characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and ZWICK materials testing machine, respectively. Interactions between PULL and PVA and PULL/PVA blends with perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFOTES) of the membranes are analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Contact angles and water drops on the surface of the membrane are measured by video microscopy. The study shows that the addition of minor quantity of PVA with PULL results in improvement in thermal stability and mechanical property (tensile strength) of the PULL membranes.