Abstract

MINA HERNANDEZ, José Herminsul; ANDERSON OTERO, Sander; BOLANOS ARBELAEZ, Carlos Andrés  and  TORO PEREA, Edward Fernando. (Preparation and physico-chemical and thermal characterization of mopa-mopa resin and polycaprolactone binary blends). Rev. LatinAm. Metal. Mater. [online]. 2012, vol.32, n.2, pp.176-184. ISSN 0255-6952.

In this paper we studied the physico-chemical and thermal properties of the Mopa Mopa (MM) resin, obtained it from the leaf bud of the elaegia pastoensis Mora tree. The influence of the incorporation of polycaprolactone (PCL) on the properties of binary mixtures MM-PCL was evaluated at three different percentages weight (85-15, 70-30 and 55-45). The work began with the implementation of the resin extraction process using water and ethanol like solvents for lixiviation from the leaf bud. MM resin and PCL were mixed employing a Mixing head 30/50E. XRD results shows the semicrystalline nature of the MM resin, also it was verified by DSC thermograms that revealed the generation of a latent heat and melting temperature of approximately 104 J/g and 146 º C respectively. DSC, TGA and FTIR results indicated that the PCL addition generated a binary mixture predominantly immiscible. In addition, it was found a displacement of the degradation onset at higher temperatures, and the crystallinity increase with the PCL added.

Keywords : Pasto resin; natural polymers; vegetal resins; physicochemical characterization.