Abstract
Naturally derived collagen protein was mixed thoroughly with medical grade poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) at the ratio of 90:10 (w/w) and was crosslinked by formaldehyde to form a homogeneous composite membrane. The bulk structure of the membrane was characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The membrane surface structure was investigated using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (attenuated total refraction) (FTIR-ATR), electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and contact angle measurement. It was found that collagen and PVA can remain stable. This was supported by the fact that no sign of phase separation had been observed. The use of crosslinking agent can substantially influence the structure of the composite. It is suggested that this new composite deserves further investigation and is potentially usable as a biomedical material.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 179-183 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of Materials Science and Technology |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| State | Published - 1997 |