Doping nanocellulose crystal with poly(vinyl alcohol) for water-resistant composite fibers with enhanced mechanical and dyeing performances

Acetalization has been commonly adopted to realize the improvement on the water resistance and mechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite fibers. However, acetalized PVA fibers only have a very low concentration of hydroxyl groups on the surface and thus have poor dyeing performance. In this case, hydroxyl-rich nanocellulose (NC) offers a fascinating solution for improving the dyeing properties of PVA fibers. Herein, we developed NC/PVA composite fibers by wet spinning the aqueous mixture of NC and PVA followed with acetalization treatment. Compared with pure PVA fibers, NC/PVA composite fibers had a significant improvement of 36% and 53% in terms of tensile strength and elongation at break when the NC content was 10 wt%, respectively. More importantly, when the NC content reached 20 wt%, the K/S value of the composite fiber was approximately threefold greater in comparison to that of the PVA fiber, indicating that the dyeing performance of NC-modified composite fibers was greatly improved. This work provides a simple and easy method to possess PVA fibers with excellent dyeing properties and mechanical properties, demonstrating the potential to realize the application of PVA fibers in more practical scenarios.

Automated summary

Acetalization is commonly used to improve the water resistance and mechanical properties of PVA composite fibers. However, this treatment reduces the concentration of hydroxyl groups on the fiber surface, resulting in poor dyeing performance. In this study, hydroxyl-rich nanocellulose was used to enhance the dyeing properties of PVA fibers, leading to significant improvements in tensile strength, elongation at break, and dyeing performance.