Influence of Leachable Filler on Parameters of Porous Structure and Water Sorption with Polyvinyl Formal Filters

The work presents data on the formation of a porous structure from polyvinyl formal (PVF) with a leachable filler (starch) during the chemical reaction of PVA acetalization. It is found that under optimal conditions for the synthesis of PVF, the introduction of starch in a given amount leads to an increase in total porosity from 58 to 84% and of open porosity from 36 to 78%. It is established that the minimum apparent density is 0.2 g cm–3 for PVF samples with starch and is achieved at a synthesis temperature of 60°C and a catalyst concentration of 40 vol %. The dependences of PVF water absorption on time, synthesis temperature, and catalyst concentration are given. It is established that water sorption reaches its maximum values of ~900% only with the introduction of a leachable filler (starch). The introduction of a leachable filler (starch) leads to an increase in water sorption by a factor of ~2 compared to PVF without starch, which makes it possible to obtain filters with a high efficiency in separating water from hydrocarbon fuels.