Synthesis and Characterisation of Polyurethane with SiO2 and Starch-Based Polyurethane with SiO2

Chin, Ee Zhen (2018) Synthesis and Characterisation of Polyurethane with SiO2 and Starch-Based Polyurethane with SiO2. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

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Abstract

The polyurethane is one of the most versatile plastic materials compared to other plastic family. There are no urethane monomer thus polyurethane was synthesis differently. Polyurethane was synthesis through addition polymerization with polyol and isocyanates as monomer. The properties of the polyurethane can be modified depends on the monomer that used and the additive that added. In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and methylene diphenyl diisocyanates (MDI) were chosen as the polyol and isocyanates whereas silicone dioxide (SiO2) and starch from corn were used as additives. Different percentage of SiO2 was blended into polyurethane matrix, the percentage that blended in are 1%, 3% and 6%. SiO2 and starch from corn was used to improve the thermal stability and the strength of the polyurethane. Several method was chosen to study the differences of polyurethane with SiO2 and starch – based polyurethane with SiO2 in terms of thermal stability such as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC). The surface morphology of polyurethane with SiO2 and the starch – based polyurethane with SiO2 was studied with mini-SEM. The size of the SiO2 that used was studied with particle analyzer by dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique and the size of the SiO2 was predicted at the range of 0.2 μm to 0.29 μm. With the increasing of SiO2 in the polyurethane matrix, the overall thermal stability of the polyurethane improved.