Palm oil based Polyol (POBP) as diluent in epoxy-polyamide / silica composites

Abstract

This research carried out to prepare and study epoxy-polyamide curing system modified with palm oil based polyol (POBP) and silica as filler. The system is investigated using five different ratios of POBP (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 phr) and three different ratios of silica (10, 20 and 30 phr). In this research, POBP act as a diluent to the epoxy-polyamide curing system. The results shows that POBP ratio of 5 phr has improvement in mechanical properties such as tensile strength. Mechanical and morphological studies on the epoxy-curing system were carried out using tensile test and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods. This research were proceed with optimum ratio of POBP that is 5 phr with addition of silica as filler. The same tests were carried out on this samples to study the mechanical and morphological properties of epoxy polyamide curing system. As the silica loading increase in the epoxy-polyamide curing system, the mechanical and morphological properties also increases. It has been found that only optimum amount of POBP is needed and silica as increasing in its content to obtain good mechanical properties. It’s concluded that among the three silica loadings, 30 phr has obtained highest mechanical values and selected as a optimum amount.