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

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