PVAm Nanofibers Fabricated by Rotary Jet Wet Spinning and Applied to Bisphenol A Recognition

Poly­(vinylamine) (PVAm) is an important polymer with the highest content of primary amine groups of any polymer. PVAm has a great potential in selective separation and smart materials. It is difficult to fabricate pure PVAm nanofibers by electrospinning and rotary jet spinning (RJS) without additional polymers. In this work, rotary jet wet spinning (RJWS) was applied to fabricate molecular imprinting nanofibers (MINFs) with polyelectrolyte for the first time. Initially, optimal parameters of spinning are investigated, including coagulation bath, solution viscosity, and rotation speed. The PVAm aqueous solution is sensitive to alcohol. To demonstrate RJWS application, PVAm-based MINFs for bisphenol A (one endocrine disruptor) recognition are prepared by adding dummy template, cross-linking, and template elution. The association constant (8.6 mg/L), equilibrium time (30 min), and binding sites utilization rate (80%) of MINFs are evaluated. Its adsorption amount and selectivity are little lower than those of MIPs prepared by bulk polymerization; however, its adsorption speed is faster than that of MIPs.