Abstract
Laponite® nanoclay was added to poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) solution which was electrospun to make PVA/Laponite® nanocomposites. After adding Laponite® nanoclay, fibers were observed to be warped, making their surface rougher. The addition of Laponite® resulted in less water solubility of electrospun PVA web. PVA/Laponite® nanocomposite disintegrated after exposure to heat and agitation in water reducing its filtration capability. PVA/Laponite® nanocomposites showed lower air permeability than electrospun PVA webs probably because of more resistance to air stream caused by rougher and less uniform fiber surface. Tensile and tear strength were weakened by Laponite® nanoclay due to several reasons: random orientation of nanoclay along fiber axial direction, and fiber discontinuity caused by nanoclay and inhomogeneous distribution of nanoclay.
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