Vegetable Oil-Based Hyperbranched Thermosetting Polyurethane/Clay Nanocomposites

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Highly branched polyurethanes and vegetable oil-based polymer nanocomposites offer significant advantages in various applications.
• Mesua ferrea L. seed oil is a potential source for developing sustainable polymer materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize Mesua ferrea L. seed oil-based hyperbranched polyurethane (HBPU)/clay nanocomposites using an in situ polymerization technique.
• To evaluate the performance enhancements of these novel epoxy-cured thermosetting nanocomposites.

Main Methods:

• In situ polymerization was employed to synthesize HBPU/clay nanocomposites at varying clay concentrations.
• X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) were used to confirm the partially exfoliated clay structure.
• Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was utilized to analyze the interactions between the nanoclay and the polymer matrix.

Main Results:

• The nanocomposites exhibited a partially exfoliated clay structure with hydrogen bonding between nanoclay and the HBPU matrix.
• Significant improvements were observed in tensile strength (twofold increase), scratch hardness, thermal stability (111°C increase), water vapor permeability, and adhesive strength.
• Key properties like impact resistance, bending, and elongation at break remained largely unaffected, while shape recovery reached an excellent 96-99%.

Conclusions:

• The formation of partially exfoliated clay/vegetable oil-based HBPU nanocomposites substantially enhances material performance.
• These nanocomposites demonstrate superior mechanical and thermal properties compared to the pristine HBPU thermoset.
• The findings highlight the potential of sustainable vegetable oil-based nanocomposites for diverse technological applications.