Engineering Ultraporous and Highly Stable Polyacrylonitrile/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Sponges with High Water Absorption Capacity.

ABSTRACT: Ultraporous sponges capable of absorbing large quantities of water-based liquids are of great interest in various fields of research. In this study, ultraporous polyacrylonitrile/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PAN/PVA) sponges with exceptional water absorption capacity─up to 16000% of their dry weight─were produced through a four-stage process: electrospinning, short fiber suspension creation, freeze-drying, and PVA cross-linking with different maleic anhydride (MA) concentrations. Characterization by electron microscopy and X-ray microscopy revealed a porosity of 90% and an average fiber thickness of 0.4 μm. Mechanical tests demonstrate that the wet sponge is more compliant and experiences greater elongation than the dry sponge, with failure occurring below 20% strain in dry samples and above 40% w

SUBMITTER: Regner ML 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12766677 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature