Journal of Material Sciences & Engineering

Organo-gelation using Microwave Heating Source: The Case of a Polyurethane Model Compound

Abstract

Chan ASW and Sundararajan PR

Organo-gels with a series of biscarbamates as gelators were prepared using microwave (MW) heating source as well as conventional heating. Biscarbamates with alkyl side chain lengths varying from C5 to C18 were used, with six solvents having dipole moments ranging from 0.07 to 4.3 D. The minimum gelation concentration and the time required for dissolution were significantly reduced with MW heating with benzonitrile, compared to the conventional heating for all the side chain lengths of the biscarbamates. While such reduction was pronounced with benzonitrile and dimethyl sulfoxide with large dipole moments, the time required for dissolution increased with MW heating (compared to the conventional) in the case of xylene and toluene with small dipole moments. Thus, MW is effective with solvents possessing large dipole moments. Although the gels consist of fibers using both methods, an inherent orientation of these fibers was seen with MW heating.