Siloxane Modification of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Foam (TPU)
Category
Sciences and Technology
Department
Chemistry
Student Status
Undergraduate
Research Advisor
Dr. Ram Gupta
Document Type
Event
Location
Student Center Ballroom
Start Date
10-4-2025 2:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2025 4:00 PM
Description
Having control over the grip or traction of a material allows for it to be applied in a variety of fields. These include sportswear, robotics, medical devices, and packaging. This project involves the modification of one specific material, thermoplastic polyurethane foam (TPU). This modification involves adding a blend of monohydroxyfunctional siloxanes into the polymer to reduce the surface energy and traction of the foam. Formulations containing 0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% siloxane will be prepared to identify the optimal balance between reduced traction and material integrity. The samples will undergo testing to determine the surface tension, composition, friction coefficient, as well as thermal and mechanical properties. These include angle goniometry to test the contact angle of a water droplet on the surface of the foam; ATR-FTIR analysis to determine the composition of the foam; Taber abrasion to for the wear of the foam; and analysis of the thermal stability and glass transition temperature of the foam. An inclined plane will be created to measure the coefficient of friction. Additional testing may be conducted according to ASTM 638 and ASTM 790 to determine the tensile and flexural properties of the foam. The anticipated outcome is to find a correlation between siloxane content and surface energy.
Siloxane Modification of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Foam (TPU)
Student Center Ballroom
Having control over the grip or traction of a material allows for it to be applied in a variety of fields. These include sportswear, robotics, medical devices, and packaging. This project involves the modification of one specific material, thermoplastic polyurethane foam (TPU). This modification involves adding a blend of monohydroxyfunctional siloxanes into the polymer to reduce the surface energy and traction of the foam. Formulations containing 0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% siloxane will be prepared to identify the optimal balance between reduced traction and material integrity. The samples will undergo testing to determine the surface tension, composition, friction coefficient, as well as thermal and mechanical properties. These include angle goniometry to test the contact angle of a water droplet on the surface of the foam; ATR-FTIR analysis to determine the composition of the foam; Taber abrasion to for the wear of the foam; and analysis of the thermal stability and glass transition temperature of the foam. An inclined plane will be created to measure the coefficient of friction. Additional testing may be conducted according to ASTM 638 and ASTM 790 to determine the tensile and flexural properties of the foam. The anticipated outcome is to find a correlation between siloxane content and surface energy.
