Hello dear you can obtain your films by using casting method.

Thank you sir,

But I need exactly, how much PVA content and GA content required. Later how to dry the films?

Hello dear, both materials are soluble in water, you can dissolve the PVA and GA at 90 Celcius degree by using mechanical or magnetic stirring until that all materials are fully dissolved. Finally, You will add 30 g of your material in a Petri box and then you can dry by using a vacuum system at 50 Celcius degree. The solid content can be lower than 30 %.

The water during the heating have to be kept, you can use a condensator and the sample weighted for taken to Petri box have to be the same in all cases, because if it does not occur the thickness of your film will not be equal.

Thank you Edwin,

Hello

You can have a look at the following paper, it is also solution casting, but with a detailed description and a study of various effects on the film/membrane quality.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280221787_Comparative_study_of_PVASiO2_and_PVASiO2glutaraldehyde_GA_nanocomposite_membranes_prepared_by_single-step_solution_casting_method

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10853-015-9206-7

Regards

Josef

Article Comparative study of PVA/SiO2 and PVA/SiO2/glutaraldehyde (G...

Thank you Josef

PVA is highly water soluble polymer with apparently less viscosity. It should not be a problem to make a film with as low as 3% w/v PVA using solvent casting method. Optimization of your formulation is needed based on the type of plasticizer. In a case of PVA, I would suggest using of Propylene glycol at 1% w/v. Depending on the film thickness, drug release, mechanical strength, concentration of polymers, plasticizer and cross-linkers can be modified. Since you are using a crosslinking agent (GA), the film properties will be affected in terms of drug release and mechanical properties especially the % strain and the tensile strength. Nevertheless, it all comes down to the desirable properties that are to be imparted in the films. Tuning of several parameters can be done depending on our needs. You have to check the grade of PVA as well. PVA is available in different grade differing in viscosity; hence, the mixing time can vary accordingly as well. It is recommended to adjust the temperature around 80 degree centigrade for brisk mixing of PVA in water.

Hi Sandeep,

                 Thanks for your reply,

                  I tried to make PVA films with using GA, but I found the films were absorb the water instantly at water absorption test. Moreover, many authors suggested swelling property should be saturated upon one to three hour.

I need information exactly how to control water absorption?

If you know please suggest me with exact concentrations and proper methodology too.

@ Ranjeth Kumar. What method did you follow for film preparation? What was the concentration of PVA and GA? Did you allow the polymeric mix to dry completely until the complete evaporation of water? Thank you.

You just finely dissolve the PVA in aq. medium and add 1% of GA , followed by shaking for 3hrs at 25oC. Then, add 4-5 ml of methanol into the mixture for 30 min and pour the the viscous solution on the petridish.