Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
7.3
Biohybrid Material Thermal Properties
Inclusion of a biopolymeric component within a silicate based matrix can be re-
sponsible for varying a large number of the properties of the resulting hybird. In
our work, we have used starch inclusion and in particular the type of interaction
between the starch and silicate components to change the mechanical and thermal
properties of the biohybrid. Using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), we have
been able to explore the effect that the type of interaction has on the water retention
and thermal degradation of the individual components.
The results are shown individually in Fig.
7.8
through Fig.
7.12
for the silicate
colloid materials itself, starch itself and then the three types of interactions between
the two components: interpenetrating, intercrosslinking and intercrosslinking with
only amine functionalized starch. The TGA results for the biohybrid materials each
show three main regions of interest. First, the water loss peak in each case occurs
around 100 °C. Following the loss of water, the materials are stable over the next
200 °C until the appearance of the thermal decomposition peaks corresponding to
the destruction of the starch at 300 °C for pure starch and the alkyl chains in the
silicate colloid above 375 °C. (Fig.
7.9
, Fig.
7.10
, Fig.
7.11
)
The water loss peak identifies some clear differences in these materials. In the
case of epoxy-amino silicate colloid material without any starch, the water loss
peak is much sharper than the thermal decomposition peaks and represents a small
percentage of the total mass loss whereas the water loss peak in all of the starch
7HPSHUDWXUH
R
&
Fig. 7.8
TGAT epoxy-amino silicate material TGA
