The elastic property of polyvinyl alcohol gel with boric acid as a crosslinking agent

Abstract

The elastomers of polyvinyl alcohol gel were made from the polyvinyl alcohol polymer, with boric acid added as a crosslinking agent, in the mixed solvent of dimethyl sulfoxide and water. From the experimental results, the viscosity of polyvinyl alcohol solution is found to increase not only with an increment of boric acid content, but also with the temperature in the range of 70°C ∼ 100°C, although the viscosity is decreased in the range of 30°C ∼ 70°C. Moreover, the molecular mass between junctions of polyvinyl alcohol gel is calculated from the rubber elastic theory and found to be decreased with the increment of boric acid content. We also evaluated the values of Young's modulus of polyvinyl alcohol gel, E, E*, and the elastic parameters C1 and C2 of the Mooney-Rivlin equation, according to Hook's law and theory of rubber elasticity. Based on these, the polyvinyl alcohol gel behaves as a good rubberlike elastic property. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 3046–3052, 1999