Sains Malaysiana 40(7)(2011): 781–787

 

Swelling Behaviors and Characterization of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch-Graft-Poly (Acrylamide) Superabsorbent Polymer Composites

(Sifat Pembengkakan dan Pencirian Komposit Polimer Penyerap Lampau Serabut Tandan

Kosong Buah Kelapa Sawit Cangkukan Poli (Akrilamida))

 

Shafinaz Jamaludin & Shahrir Hashim*

Department of Polymer Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,81310 UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

 

Received: 23 October 2009 / Accepted: 5 August 2010

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

The development on a class of technologically advanced materials like superabsorbent polymer composites (SAPC) involved multidisciplinary research started when its ability is recognized. Oil palm empty fruit bunch-graft-poly (acrylamide) (OPEFB-g-PAAm) SAPC was synthesized via simultaneous crosslinking and graft copolymerization of acrylamide (AAm) monomer onto OPEFB backbone with N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and ammonium persulphate (APS) acts as crosslinker and initiator, respectively, along with neutralization using solution polymerization method. Systematically, variables that affect the swelling behaviors of OPEFB-g-PAAm SAPC were optimized. The effects of initiator, crosslinker and filler concentration as well as solvent quantity and the degree of neutralization on water absorbency of OPEFB-g-PAAm SAPC were studied. Maximum absorbency of OPEFB-g-PAAm SAPC was achieved at 589.06 g/g when the amount of APS and MBA were 1.5 wt.% and 0.15 wt.%, respectively, and the OPEFB loading was at 10 wt.%. The optimum amount of solvent used was 15 mL and the degree of neutralization was 20%. The chemical structure of the OPEFB-g-PAAm SAPC was characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. A mechanism pathway in synthesizing OPEFB-g-PAAm SAPC was suggested.

 

Keywords: Characterization; oil palm empty fruit bunch; poly (acrylamide); superabsorbent polymer composites; swelling behavior

 

ABSTRAK

 

Pembangunan bahan termaju seperti polimer komposit penyerap lampau (SAPC) telah berkembang pesat di dalam pelbagai aktiviti penyelidikan semenjak kelebihannya diketahui umum. Serabut tandan kosong buah kelapa sawit-cantum-poli (akrilamida) (OPEFB-g-PAAm) SAPC telah disintesis melalui proses pemautsilangan dan pengkopolimeran cantum monomer akrilamida (AAm) ke atas tulang belakang OPEFB dengan menggunakan N ,N’-metilenabisakrilamida (MBA) dan ammonium persulfat (APS) yang masing-masing berfungsi sebagai pemautsilang dan pemula, bersama-sama peneutralan dengan menggunakan kaedah pempolimeran larutan. Pembolehubah seperti kuantiti pemautsilang, pemula, pengisi, pelarut dan darjah peneutralan yang mempengaruhi sifat pembengkakan OPEFB-g-PAAm SAPC telah diperhatikan dan dioptimumkan secara sistematik. Penyerapan maksimum OPEFB-g-PAAm SAPC adalah 589.06 g/g apabila kuantiti APS, MBA dan OPEFB adalah masing-masing pada 1.5 wt.%, 0.15 wt.% dan 10 wt.%. Manakala, jumlah pelarut dan darjah peneutralan yang telah digunakan adalah 15 mL dan 20%. Struktur kimia OPEFB-g-PAAm SAPC telah dicirikan dengan menggunakan spektroskopi jelmaan Fourier infra-merah (FTIR) dan mekanisme dalam mensintesis OPEFB-g-PAAm SAPC telah dicadangkan.

 

Kata kunci: Serabut tandan kosong buah kelapa sawit; pencirian; poli (akrilamida); polimer komposit penyerap lampau; sifat pembengkakan

REFERENCES

 

Gao, J., Wang, A., Li, Y., Fu, Y., Wu, J., Wang. Y. & Wang, Y. 2008. Synthesis and characterization of superabsorbent composite by using glow discharge electrolysis plasma. Reactive and Functional Polymers 68: 1377-1383

Ibrahim, N.A., Abu-Ilaiwi, F., Rahman, M.Z.A., Ahmad, M.B., Dahlan, K.Z.M. & Wan Yunus, W.M.Z. 2005. Graft copolymerization of acrylamide onto oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fibre. Journal of Polymer Research 12: 173-179

Ibrahim, N.A., Wan Yunus, W.M.Z., Abu-Ilaiwi, F.A.F., Rahman, M.Z.A., Ahmad, M.B. & Dahlan, K.Z.M. 2003a. Graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate onto oil palm empty fruit bunch fibre using H2O2/Fe2+ as an initiator. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 89: 2233-2238

Ibrahim, N.A., Wan Yunus, W.M.Z., Abu-Ilaiwi, F.A.F., Rahman, M. Z. A., Ahmad, M.B. & Dahlan, K.Z.M. 2003b. Optimized condition for grafting reaction of poly (butyl acrylate) onto oil palm empty fruit bunch fibre. Polymer International 52: 1119-1124

Li, A., Liu, R. & Wang, A. 2005. Preparation of starch-graft-poly (acrylamide)/attapulgite superabsorbent composite. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 98: 1351-1357

Li, A., Zhang, J. & Wang, A. 2007. Utilization of starch and clay for the preparation of superabsorbent composite. Bioresource Technology 98: 327-332

Li, W., Wang, J., Zou, L. & Zhu, S. 2008. Synthesis and characterization of potassium humate-acrylic acid-acrylamide hydrogel. Journal of Polymer Research 15: 435-445

Marandi, G.B., Esfandiari, K., Biranvand, F., Babapour, M., Sadeh, S. & Mahdavinia, G.R. 2008. pH sensitivity and swelling behavior of partially hydrolyzed formaldehyde-crosslinked poly (acrylamide) superabsorbent hydrogels. Journal of Applied Polymer Science 109: 1083-1092

Singha, A.S., Anjali Shama, & Vijay Kumar Thakur. 2008. Pressure induced graft-co-polymerization of acrylonitrile onto Saccharum cilliare fibre and evaluation of some properties of grafted fibre. Bulletin of Materials Science 31(1): 7-13

Wu, J., Wei, Y., Lin, J. & Lin, S. 2003. Study on starch-graft-acrylamide/mineral powder superabsorbent composite. Polymer 44: 6513-6520

Xie, Y. & Wang, A. 2008. Study on superabsorbent composite XIX. Synthesis, characterization and performance of chitosan-g-poly (acrylic acid)/vermiculite superabsorbent composites. Journal Polymer Resource 16(2): 143-150.

Yu, C., Liu, Y.F., Tan, H.M. & Jiang, J.X. 2009. Synthesis and characterization of a novel superabsorbent polymer of N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan graft copolymerized with vinyl momoners. Carbohydrate Polymers 75: 287-292

Zhang, J., Li, A. & Wang, A. 2006. Superabsorbent composite. X. Effects of saponification on properties of polyacrylamide/attapulgite. Polymer Engineering and Science 46: 1762-1767

 

*Corresponding author; email: shahrir@fkkksa.utm.my

 

 

 

previous