Renewable polyol obtained by microwave-assisted alcoholysis of epoxidized soybean oil: Preparation, thermal properties and relaxation process

[EN] The soybean oil polyol (SOP) use as feedstock in the polyurethane industry has been recently emphasized due to its excellent resistance to hydrolysis, which is also applicable in coatings and thermal insulation. In this article, the SOP was obtained by a very fast microwave-assisted alcoholysis of epoxidized soybean oil (ESO). The preparation method, thermal properties, and relaxation process were evaluated. High yields as opening and consumption epoxy group and selectivity of 99.8 mol%, 985 mol%, and 71.2 mol% were obtained. Through titrations, nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography were identified parameters as 0.32 mg KOH.g(-1) acid number, 190 mg KOH.g(-1) hyd…

Monitoring molecular dynamics of bacterial cellulose composites reinforced with graphene oxide by carboxymethyl cellulose addition

[EN] Broadband Dielectric Relaxation Spectroscopy was performed to study the molecular dynamics of dried Bacterial Cellulose/Carboxymethyl Cellulose-Graphene Oxide (BC/CMC-GO) composites as a function of the concentration of CMC in the culture media. At low temperature the dielectric spectra are dominated by a dipolar process labelled as a beta -relaxation, whereas electrode polarization and the contribution of dc-conductivity dominate the spectra at high temperatures and low frequency. The CMC concentration affects the morphological structure of cellulose and subsequently alters its physical properties. X-ray diffractometry measurements show that increasing the concentration of CMC promote…

Controlling dielectrical properties of polymer blends through defined PEDOT nanostructures

[EN] The paper reports the crucial role of the morphology of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanostructures on the thermal and dielectric properties of polymer blends prepared thereof. PEDOT nanostructures with two different morphologies (nanoparticles and nanowires) were synthesized. The size for the nanoparticles was in the range 10 40 nm and the diameter of the nanowires was of ca. 200 nm. These nanostructures were blended with an insulating polymer matrix, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), to evaluate the dielectrical properties of the materials. The results of broadband dielèctric spectroscopy showed a strong correlation between the morphology of the nanostructure and the impr…

Molecular dynamics of carrageenan composites reinforced with Cloisite Na+ montmorillonite nanoclay

[EN] Nanocomposites comprising biodegradable carrageenan and glycerol(KCg) as the host polymer, with different contents of natural montmorillonite (MMT) as filler, were prepared by a solution casting process. Different techniques have been used to determine the interaction/behavior among the different components of the samples such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and, mainly, Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS). FTIR indicates hydrogen interaction between carrageenan matrix and silicate that is confirmed by the XRD data indicating some kind of carrageenan intercalation between the MMT layers. A rather ho…

An experimental study of dynamic behaviour of graphite polycarbonatediol polyurethane composites for protective coatings

Segmented polycarbonatediol polyurethane (PUPH) has been synthesized and modified with different amounts of graphite conductive filler (from 0 to 50 wt%). Thermal and dynamical thermal analysis of the composites clearly indicates changes in the polyurethane relaxations upon addition of graphite. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy has been used to study the dielectric properties of the (PUPH) and one composite in the frequency range from 10−2 to 107 Hz and in the temperature window of −140 to 170 ◦C. Relaxation processes associated with different molecular motions and conductivity phenomena (Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars and electrode polarization) are discussed and related to the graphite content

Effect of chain extender on the morphology, thermal, viscoelastic, and dielectric behavior of soybean polyurethane

Effect of Chitin Whiskers on the Molecular Dynamics of Carrageenan-Based Nanocomposites

[EN] Films of carrageenan (KC) and glycerol (g) with different contents of chitin nanowhiskers (CHW) were prepared by a solution casting process. The molecular dynamics of pure carrageenan (KC), carrageenan/glycerol (KCg) and KCg with different quantities of CHWs as a filler was studied using dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. The analysis of the CHW effect on the molecular mobility at the glass transition, T-g, indicates that non-attractive intermolecular interactions between KCg and CHW occur. The fragility index increased upon CHW incorporation, due to a reduction in the polymer chains mobility produced by the CHW confinement of the KCg network. The apparent activation energy associated…

Electrical conductivity properties of expanded graphite-polycarbonatediol polyurethane composites

Conductive polymer composites of segmented polycarbonatediol polyurethane and expanded graphite (EG) have been synthesized with different amounts of EG conductive filler (from 0 to 50 wt%). SEM, X-ray diffraction measurements, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies demonstrated a homogeneous dispersion of the EG filler in the matrix. The dielectric permittivity of the composites showed an insulator to conductor percolation transition with increase in EG content. Significant changes in the dielectric permittivity take place when the weight fraction of EG is in the range 20–30 wt%. Special attention has been paid to the dependence of the conductivity on frequency, temperature and…