Preparation of green, mechanically strong and degradable CNF/PVA/SA composite aerogel

In this report, cellulose nanofiber-modified polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate (CNF/PVA/SA, CPS) composite aerogels were prepared by cyclic freezing and green cross-linking. The properties of aerogels with different CNF additions were investigated, and the samples were tested and characterized for swelling, water retention, porosity, and biocompatibility. The tensile resistance of the composite aerogel was enhanced when the CNF addition was 5 wt%, which was 52% higher than that without CNF. The results of hemolysis tests showed that the cellulose aerogel composites exhibited excellent performance in terms of biocompatibility and hemocompatibility. Therefore, CPS showed great potential in medical environments.