Pengaruh Penambahan Bentonit Termodifikasi Sebagai Pengisi Terhadap Sifat Mekanik Dan Penyerapan Air Pada Komposit Poliester Tak Jenuh

Abstract

Research about the usage of modified bentonite as filler in unsaturated polyester resin has been done to evaluate the best composition of modified bentonite as filler on the mechanical properties of polyester composites. The bentonites used were modified with Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB) surfactant with various concentrations by 0,05, 0,1, and 0,15M and Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). In this research, unsaturated polyester resin was mixed with modified bentonite with the filler composition by 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of the weight of the composite with hand lay-up method. The FTIR characterization result show that the bond between matrix and the filler produced only interfacial bonding between the matrix and the filler. Result of testing the mechanical properties indicate that, on the composition of the filler 5% with 0,1M of surfactant concentration obtained the maximum value of tensile strength with 30,774 MPa and maximum value of impact strength with 9420,9 J/m2 . The results of mechanical properties tests was further supported by analysis of Scaning Electron Microscopy (SEM). On the test of water absorption, the water absorption capacity increased along with the increased of filler composition