Abstract
The use of waste tires is a very critical issue, considering their environmental and economic implications. One of the simplest and the least harmful methods is conversion of tires into ground tire rubber (GTR), which can be introduced into different polymer matrices as a filler. However, these applications often require proper modifications to provide compatibility with the polymer matrix. In this study, we examined the impact of GTR oxidation with hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate on the processing and properties of flexible polyurethane/GTR composite foams. Applied treatments caused oxidation and introduction of hydroxyl groups onto the surface of rubber particles, expressed by the broad range of their hydroxyl numbers. It resulted in noticeable differences in the processing of the polyurethane system and affected the structure of flexible composite foams. Treatment with H2O2 resulted in a 31% rise of apparent density, while the catalytic activity of potassium ions enhanced foaming of system decreased density by 25% and increased the open cell content. Better mechanical performance was noted for H2O2 modifications (even by 100% higher normalized compressive strength), because of the voids in cell walls and incompletely developed structure during polymerization, accelerated by KMnO4 treatment. This paper shows that modification of ground tire rubber is a very promising approach, and when properly performed may be applied to engineer the structure and performance of polyurethane composite foams.
Highlights
Polyurethane (PU) foams are a versatile group of materials commonly applied in various industry branches due to their very broad spectrum of potential properties [1].Their structure and properties are directly influenced by their chemical composition and the ratio of the two most important components applied during polymerization—Polyols and isocyanates
The presented research paper aimed to investigate the impact of ground tire rubber (GTR) treatment with hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate on its microstructure, chemical structure of surface and thermal stability
Applied modifications resulted in the development of GTR surface due to partial oxidation, which could be observed in the scanning electron microscope images
Summary
Polyurethane (PU) foams are a versatile group of materials commonly applied in various industry branches due to their very broad spectrum of potential properties [1].Their structure and properties are directly influenced by their chemical composition and the ratio of the two most important components applied during polymerization—Polyols and isocyanates. One of the main trends associated with foamed PU composites is the search for new fillers, preferably from renewable resources or byproducts of other processes and products [4,5,6] Such a phenomenon is commonly observed and is driven by economic and ecological factors. Due to the cellular structure of matrix (new foam) and filler (foam scraps), they act as an excellent insulating material and are characterized by a thermal conductivity coefficient in the range of 0.036–0.041 W/(m/K), which is lower than conventional expanded polystyrene (~0.044 W/(m/K)) or mineral wool (~0.055 W/(m/K)) [15] They may act as acoustic insulation with a sound reduction improvement of 19–44 dB, depending on the thickness
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