A study of cryostructuring of polymer systems. 46. physicochemical properties and microstructure of poly(vinyl alcohol) cryogels formed from polymer solutions in mixtures of dimethyl sulfoxide with low-molecular-mass alcohols

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) cryogels (PVACGs) are obtained and studied. The PVACGs are formed by freezing–defrosting of polymer solutions in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or its mixtures with one of the first members of the series low-molecular-mass aliphatic alcohols (methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol). PVA content in these solutions is 100 g/L, while the concentration of an aliphatic alcohol is varied in a range of 0.44–2.55 mol/L depending on its nature. The polymer solutions are subjected to the cryogenic treatment at temperatures 30, 40, or 50°C lower than the crystallization temperature of DMSO (+18.4°C). The frozen samples are defrosted at a heating rate of 0.03°C/min. It is shown that, in a certain range of lowmolecular-mass alcohol content in an initial system, its cryogenic treatment yields coarse-pored heterophase cryogels that have higher rigidity and heat endurance than those of DMSO–PVA cryogels. It has been shown that polymer cryoconcentration and phase separation play important roles in the formation of a cellular microstructure and an increase in the rigidity and heat endurance of PVACGs obtained in the presence of low-molecular-mass alcohols.