| Summary: | Due to the time-consuming preparation and hardening process of cement concrete, there has been a shift towards the use of Polyurethane as a new grouting material. This study focused on the preparation of polyurethane (PU) using two types of polyols: castor-based polyol (C) and polyether polyol (P). Five different compositions of polyurethane were created using each polyol type to investigate and compare the effect of different ratios of isocyanate and polyols on PU physical and mechanical properties. The study found that the rheology index for CPU was lower than PPU for all compositions, with an optimum value of 1.31 cm/g for CPU4 and 2.43 cm/g for PPU4, respectively. Additionally, the density of PPU was found to be higher than CPU, and both densities increased with increasing NCO ratios. Both types of samples showed a significant increase in compression strength of about 50 % compared to the lowest ratio of NCO. Overall, PPU exhibited higher compressive strength compared to CPU. The results were explained through FESEM micrographs image of the cellular arrangement of PU, which illustrated the mechanical strength of both sample types. PPU4 and CPU4 demonstrated optimum mechanical and physical properties. All results fell within the range of industrial polyurethane grouting materials, and these findings suggest that they could be used as new sources of grouting materials. © Malaysian Journal of Microscopy (2023). All rights reserved.
|
|---|