Projects

Development of High-Performance Polyamides from Renewable Natural Source (Cardanol)

The  project  envisages  development  of  novel  polymers  based  on cardanol,  a  constituent  of  a  natural  product,  viz.cashewnut  shell liquid.  Polyamides  using  diamine  have  been  synthesized  and characterized.   The   various   steps   included   preparation   of nitrocompound  NDMT  [2-nitro-dimethyl  terephthalate]  followed  by coupling  reaction  with  potassium  salt  of  cardanol  leading  to  2-(3- pentadecyl)  phenoxy  dimethyl  terephthalate  /  2-(3-pentadecyl) phenoxy  1,4  dimethylbenzene;  Hydrolysis  of  this  compound  by ethanolic  KOH  to  produce  2-(3-pentadecyl)  phenoxy  benzene  1,  4  – dicarboxylic  acid.      The  polyamide  was  finally  obtained  by  solution polymerization  technique  using  m-phenylene  diamine  [MPDA]  and 2-(3-pentadecyl)  phenoxy  benzene  1,  4  dicarboxylic  acid.    The intermediate  products  and  polyamide  were  characterized.