Study of the physical, mechanical and sound absorbing properties of polyurethane and polymethyl methacrylate interpenetrating networks

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Air Pollution Research Center, Environmental Research Center, Faculty of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran

2 Occupational Hygiene Department, School of Public Health, Faculty of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences & Health Services, Tehran, Iran

3 Color and Surface Coating Group, Polymer Processing Department, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute (IPPI), Tehran, Iran

/amnc.2018.6.23.1

Abstract

Nowadays, Noise pollution control has great importance. Noise pollution causes harm to human’s body as well as distressing calmness. One way to control noise is the use of sound absorbing materials (especially polymer foams). In recent years, composite polymers especially interpenetrating polymer networks have received much attention because of the improved properties of polymers. Polymer composites with interpenetrated polymer network structure (IPN) are widely used as sound and vibration damping agents due to their high viscoelastic properties, within the glass transition temperature range. In this study, IPNs foams of polyurethane (PU) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were prepared by in situ polymerization using different ratios of PU/ PMMA (85:15, 75:25 and 65:35).
IPN components including polyurethane and polyethyl methacrylate were synthesized separately to compare thermal properties, attenuation, mechanical and sound absorption coefficient of polymer. The chemical structure of the compounds was investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy and mechanical properties were studied using Tensile testing machine.
Damping and thermal properties of the samples were performed using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermo gravimetric (TGA) respectively. Measuring the absorption coefficient was performed using the Impedance Tube (SW60, BSWA) in the frequency range from 63 to 6300 Hz, according to ISO10534-2.  As indicators of effective damping capability, viscoelastic parameters including loss factor (tan δ), glass transition temperature (Tg) and effective damping interval (tan δ > 0.3) were also determined.
The formation of a semi-compatible morphology was indicated by the broad tan δ curve and two distinct transition peaks observed in the DMA curves of IPNs. The results revealed that formation of IPNs foams compound due to transform of glass transition temperature to higher temperatures and temperature of damping was increased. Therefore, in the result of the PU / PMMA IPNs damping properties were improved. Results show that because of the formation of IPN, the sound absorbing capacity of prepared samples increased at a certain frequency, and the resonance frequency shifted to lower frequencies by increasing the PMMA content in IPN foams.
Therefore,it is possible to realize a purposeful selection of sound-damping materials for solving specific technological problems by varying the composition of the material.

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References

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