Analysis and applications of inorganic surfaces in the organic synthesis and in the rheology of industrial products

The work described in this thesis is the result of a collaboration between the University of Camerino and the Teuco Guzzini of Montelupone and is born from the demand for the application of chemical research to the development of innovative products; these products are obtained by the polymerization of highly filled methacrylic dispersions containing inorganic fillers. For this reason, the target of part of my work is the study of the rheological parameters of methacrylic composite materials filled with alumina trihydrate and the application of this to obtain some Teuco products; without being limited solely however to the study of the non polymerized compositions but also includes the research of a suitable catalytic system, the study of the phases of the a curing process and the chemical-mechanical characterization of the articles obtained. The work describes the development of an important project, the Cold Cure project, which concerns a process of polymerization conducted at room pressure and temperature and applied in particular to the production of shower trays, but could equally be used for the production of other articles, such is washbasins, sinks, work-tops, ect. For this reason, part of my academic program was developed in the laboratory R and D of Teuco Guzzini, where I had the opportunity to follow the steps of preparation of the dispersions, to effect the rheological study of these dispersions and to perform the mechanical characterization of the products obtained, using specific instruments. These included the viscometer, for the rheological analysis of the material, the Rockwell durometer, the Barcol durometer, the Charpy pendulum, the flexural and tensile dynamometer, the modular measurer of superficial tension and angle of contact and the spectrophotometer, for the mechanical characterization of the manufactured articles. Working in the laboratory R and D Teuco, has also allowed me to carry out the study keeping in mind the commercial demands, for which the results must be compatible each time with the management of time and business costs. The characterization of the moulded articles was also carried out from a chemical point of view, by the determination of the residual monomer, an important parameter to explore the complete reaction of polymerization using an analytical method developed in the Department of Organic Chemistry of the University of Camerino. Further, for the elimination of some defects present on the surface of the shower trays obtained through the Cold Cure technology, the use of SEM spectroscopy is revealed to be particularly useful. All of this with the purpose of applying a catalysis system, used above all for products in polyester, to obtain shower trays in methacrylic resin and to develop an innovative process of polymerization and an innovative type of mould, economical and easy to achieve. Therefore, the experimentation is not limited to laboratory tests for the study of a suitable catalysis system and the analysis of the material and the chemical-mechanical characterizations, but it also includes the study of the productive process, from the step of molding to the workmanship of the manufactured articles. For Teuco Guzzini security policy reasons some information is not herein reported