Magnetic Sponges based on the Polymerization of diepoxy terminated-PDMS

JIMENA SOLEDAD GONZALEZ; CRISTINA HOPPE

Buenos Aires

Conferencia; 6th International Conference on Science and Technology of Composite Materials (COMAT); 2015

Magnetic sponges were obtained by infusion of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in polymer networks obtained by polymerization of a diepoxy terminated?polydimethylsiloxane (diep-PDMS). In a first strategy, the monomer was homopolymerized using a tertiary amine as initiator to obtain materials with low hydrophilicity. Under the second strategy, diep-PDMS was copolymerized with a polyetherdiamine (Jeffamine ED) to generate amphiphilic materials. Both systems were cured at moderate temperatures (80-120ºC) in a sugar-template to obtain polymeric sponges with macroporosity. The fabrication process of the PDMS sponge is ecofriendly and it does not require any intricate synthesis processes or equipment. Oleic-acid coated MNPs were obtained by a coprecipitation method followed by a functionalization step. Samples of the obtained materials were immersed in the colloidal dispersion of MNPs and after equilibration, dried to obtain porous magnetic nanocomposites. Swelling ability of the gels was determined (with and without MNPs) in aqueous and organic systems (ethanol, acetone, chloroform and toluene). Evaluation of the performance of the sponges as absorbents for oil spill recovery is currently under way.