Synthesis and Physico-mechanical Characterization of Polystyrene Blended with Uvaria chamae Seed Oil (UCSO) Used as a Plasticizer
Nwanneka Emilian Ireh
Department of Industrial Chemistry, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Emmanuel Chidiebere Ezeh
Department of Industrial Chemistry, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Okechukwu Paul Nsude
Department of Industrial Chemistry, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Kingsley John Orie *
Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Charles Chukwuma Chime
Department of Industrial Chemistry, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Polystyrene has long been recognized as a versatile and cost-effective material used in several industries, such as packaging, consumer electronics, building, medical, and and food service disposables. The current research focuses on the synthesis and physico-mechanical characterization of polystyrene blended with Uvaria chamae seed oil (UCSO), used as a plasticizer. UCSO was extracted with hexane and used as a plasticizer in the suspension polymerization of styrene. The findings on the quality of the oil are as follows: oil content (12.54%), specific gravity at 25 oC (0.94 ± 0.00), acid value (8.029 ± 0.12 mg KOH), iodine value (18.987 ± 0.40), peroxide value (7.0), free fatty acid (4.015%), and saponification values (173.392). The mechanical properties of the polystyrene blend with Uvaria chamae seed oil (PS-UCSO) at 100g were reported as follows: ultimate tensile strength (48.6 MPa), Young modulus (1985.3 MPa), % elongation (12.6%), break load (390.6 N), peak load (386.5 N), Shore D hardness (80.0), and water absorption (1.31%). Other properties like thermal conductivity and thermal resistance were reported as 0.2614 (W/m.K.) and 3.8256 (1/k). The findings revealed that the mechanical properties of PS-UCSO were highly competitive with the conventional white petroleum oil used as a plasticizer. As a recommendation, Uvaria chamae seed oil should be used as a plasticizer since it is available, cheap, and environmentally friendly.
Keywords: Mechanical properties, plasticizers, polystyrene, seed oil