MICROWAVE-ASSISTED PREPARATION OF BIODEGRADABLE SUPERABSORBENT (BNF-GRAFT-PAM)/SS NANOCOMPOSITE

Betel nut fiber (BNF) graft polyacrylamide (PAM) copolymer and (BNF-graft-PAM)/Sodium silicate nanocomposite were prepared in a microwave oven using in situ developed transition metal complex initiating system i.e. CuSO4/glycine/ammoniumpersulfate (APS) and N, N’ methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as an crosslinker via nanotechnology by the inclusion of sodium silicate(SS) clay to the grafted polymer. The formation of (BNF-graft-PAM)/SS nanocomposite was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Furthermore, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the composite so obtained was found to have nano order. XRD and TEM were suggesting that SS layers were exfoliated during the polymerization process. An increasing in the thermal stability for the developed nanocomposite was recorded by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The combustion behavior has been evaluated using oxygen consumption cone calorimeter and the nanocomposite exhibited good fire retardancy. The water absorption and biodegradation properties were carried out for its eco-friendly nature and better commercialization.