Butanox m 50

Montmorillonite (MMT) and benzododecinium chloride salts (DDBAC) are purchased from Sigma Aldrich, USA. The unsaturated isophthalic polyester resin (Norsodine) with styrene content of up to 35 vol% is provided by MPC PROKIM Industries, Tunisia. The initiator methyl-ethyl ketone peroxide in dimethyl phthalate (Butanox M-50) is purchased from Akzo Nobel, Netherlands, while the accelerator cobalt naphthenate is acquired from BOYTEK, Turkey.

The resin employed in this study was a pre-accelerated orthophthalic unsaturated polyester resin in styrene (39–42 wt% styrene content), supplied by Polynt Composites with the commercial name DISTITRON^® 5119 E1SX20Q. To initiate the reaction, a source of free radicals is needed, by means of heat or a catalytic system. Organic peroxides (initiators) are commonly used as the source of free radicals. A 2 wt% amount of methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) initiator was used, dissolved in diisobutyl phthalate, from Akzo Nobel with the commercial name BUTANOX^® M50. Titanium dioxide of analytical grade of purity (Aeroxide^® P25 TiO₂, <25 nm) was obtained from Evonik Corporation (Essen, Germany). For testing the photocatalytic properties of developed nanocomposites, a model organic pollutant, a commercial diazo reactive dye containing two vinyl sulfones as reactive groups, Remazol Black B (C.I. Reactive Black 5) was employed. This dye has the empirical formula C₂₆H₂₁N₅Na₄O₁₉S₆ and a molecular weight of 991.8 g/mol and was purchased from Acros Organics (Morris, NJ, USA). All chemicals are analytical grade substances and have been used without further purification.

Long KBF bundles used as reinforcements in this study were supplied by National Kenaf and Tobacco Board (NKTB), Kota Bahru, Kelantan, Malaysia. Electronic glass woven roving type GF (EWR500) is manufactured by Jiujiang Huirong New Material Co., Ltd., (Jiujiang, China) and provided by Hasrat Bestari Sdn. Bhd. Butterworth, Penang. Reversol P-9565 unsaturated polyester (UPE) resin was used as a polymer matrix in the composites fabrication. The resin is manufactured by Synthomer PLC and supplied by Dr. Rahmatullah Holding Sdn. Bhd., Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia. Butanox M-50, methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP), is manufactured by Akzo Nobel and supplied by Hasrat Bestari Sdn. Bhd. Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia. MEKP acts as a catalyst to initiate the crosslinking of UPE resins in the production of composite materials. Maleic anhydride (MA) was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich, Subang Jaya, Selangor. It was used as a chemical reagent for the esterification of KBF. N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) and hydroquinone were from Fisher Scientific and purchased from Dr. Rahmatullah Holding Sdn. Bhd., Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia.