EFFECTS OF GLASS MICROFILLERS ON THE WATER-TRANSPORT BEHAVIOR OF POLYURETHANE COMPOSITES
Titel:
EFFECTS OF GLASS MICROFILLERS ON THE WATER-TRANSPORT BEHAVIOR OF POLYURETHANE COMPOSITES
Auteur:
Chuang, Tsu-Hwang Yang, Thomas C. K. Chen, Tai-You Chang, An-Hwa
Verschenen in:
International journal of polymeric materials
Paginering:
Jaargang 53 (2004) nr. 7 pagina's 553-564
Jaar:
2004-07
Inhoud:
Glass microspheres with unique composition and diameter, and modified by different surface treatments, were blended with polyurethane (PU) in various proportions to improve the liquid transport properties of the PU composites. Transport properties such as diffusion, permeability, and sorption coefficient were measured on various filler-filled PU composites at three different temperatures. These temperature-dependent parameters were used to provide a quantitative way to examine the effects of filler loading and the surface properties on the improvement of the water transport properties of PU composites. Results show that due to trapping at interfacial boundaries between filler and polymer, a high water affinity and large space for water activity is expected inside all the filler-filled composites. As a result, lower water diffusion (or high water resistivity) was found among all the filler-filled composites compared to that of filler-free composites. Besides, the more filler present in the composite, the longer the paths of the water molecules within the composites as the water penetration proceeds. Thus, lower diffusion coefficient values were observed for composites with large amounts of filler addition.