Production and characterization of shape memory epoxy foam by an advances aqueous method

Abstract

Shape memory foam is consider as an advantageous invention that has being gained researcher’s focus recently. The ability of shape memory foam is it will deform under certain mechanical forces and slowly recover back into its original shape as if it memories. This research suggested an advanced aqueous method to produce epoxy shape memory foam. This method is environmentally friendly because it is free from solvent. First of all, mixture of epoxy, polyamide, sodium bicarbonate and filler was prepared by using over-head stirrer. Next, the mixture was emulsified with distilled water using high stirring speed (1200 rpm – 2 minutes), following by addition of ammonium chloride solution into the mixture and stirred at 600 rpm for 2 minutes. Finally, the epoxy emulsion was casted into PP mould and cured. The uses of polyamide-epoxy adduct as the reversed ratio of polyamide and epoxy was explored to produce flexible epoxy. Due to polyamide derive from dimerize tall oil fatty acids (TOFAS), the polyamide-epoxy adduct was able to be emulsified at high speed stirring and without using emulsifier. It resulted in an epoxy emulsion similar to water/oil/water (W/O/W) system. Which, water worked as the continuous phase in emulsion system and also presented as the dispersed phase in epoxy resin. In addition, eggshell was used as an eco-green filler, which consisted of 95% by weight of calcium carbonate (CaCO3).