Preparation of Imogolite/Poly (vinyl Alcohol) Composite Fibers by Wet Spinning

Imogolite/poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composite fibers were obtained by the conventional wet-spinning used Na2SO4 as coagulation solution. Imogolite is a rod shaped rigid inorganic polymer composed of alumina-silicate and is expected to from ordered structure when extruded through a nozzle because of its shape. PVA molecule is also expected to be ordered through intermolecular interaction between the OH groups of imogolite and PVA. Although an imogolite content to PVA is as low as 6.9wt%, the wide angle X-ray diffraction diagram from fiber of imogolite/PVA system shows the high intenstity in the equatorial direction in Debye-Scherrer rings from both components, suggesting that both imogolite and PVA molecules were oriented to the extruded direction without hotdrawing. The mechanical properties of composite fiber, however, shows no positive effect of imogolite. According to the scanning electron microscopic observation, the cross section of composite fiber reveals aggregates which seems to be composed of imogolite.