Sodiuma&hate as a mouldrelease

agent
AG. Andreopoulos
Laboratory of Special Chemical Technology, N. T.U., Athens, Greece
fReceived 27 June 1984; accepted 20 August 7984)

The use of sodium alginata as a mould release agent during the casting of epoxy or polyester msins in plaster
moulds is discussed. The optimal concantmtion of a mtarder is determined, taking into considrmtion the sat&g
behaviour and tbe adhesive bond stmngth. The above chamcteristics are critical for the application and efficiency
of the coating.

Keywords: Polymers, sodium alginate, retarder, mould release agent

The film formed by salts of alginic acid can be used as a ness. For determination of the gel thickness, the solution
release agent during the moulding of polymers, because was wiped at different time intervals and the gel
of a reduced chemical affinity which results from their measured using a micrometer. The thickness of the dried
structure’. On the other hand, the reactivity of the water gel was measured in the same manner.
soluble salts of alginic acid (such as sodium or potassium The detemination of the adhesive bond strength,
alginate) with calcium ions can lead to the formation of a was based on the ASTM D 1002-72 designation*, using
gel layer when a solution of the above salts is applied to a small plaster plates. The coating solution had a thickness
plaster surface’* ‘* 3. This behaviour, i.e. the adherence to of about 200 ,um.
plaster substrates combined with the incompatibility with
many polymers, dictates the use of soluble alginates as
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
mould coatings for the formation of a separating film.
The requirements of such a separating film are sub- The thickness measurements for different time intervals
ject to its thickness, setting time and to the adhesive and retarder concentrations are shown in Tables 1 and 2.
bond. The thickness must be limited to avoid dimensional
changes of the moulded article and the corresponding Table 1 Hydrogel thickness variation with time, for various retailer
concentrations
setting time must permit proper application. On the
other hand the film must be adhered sufficiently to the Thickness (pm)
mould surface to prevent the formation of gaps or other
moulding imperfections. The above requirements can all Time (min) 0% 1% 2% 3%

be controlled by the concentration of a retarder added to

0.5 80 50 - -
the alginate solution 5*‘* ’ . The retarder has to precipitate 1.0 130 90 90 90
calcium ions, forming an insoluble salt or a complex. Such 2.0 190 150 130 130
compounds can be phosphates, oxalates, citrates etc.2’4. 3.0 220 190 160 170
As their concentration increases the setting time for a 4.0 250 230 210 180
5.0 270 250 240 220
given thickness increases.
6.0 290 - 200 -

EXPERIMENTAL Table 2 Thickness of dried gel for verious retarder concentrations

An alginate solution was prepared by dissolving 20 g of Thickness (pm)

sodium alginate (SATIALGINE S-l 100, SATIA S.A.,
Time (min) 0% 1% 2% 3%
France) in a litre of deionized water. A citrate retarder
(10% aqueous solution) was added to 250 ml fractions of 0.5 21 13 - -
this solution in concentrations of 1, 2 and 3%. Thus, 4 1 .o 34 24 24 24
solutions were available containing the retarder from &3%. 2.0 50 39 34 34
A calcium sulphate dihydrate (CaS04.2H20) plate 3.0 57 50 47 44
4.0 65 60 55 47
was prepared, using a dental plaster (Moldano, Bayer 5.0 70 65 62 57
A.G., W. Germany). This plate was coated on one side 6.0 75 - 73 -
with the solution to form a layer of some millimetres thick-

@ 1985 Butterworth Et Co (Publishers) Ltd. 0142-9612/65/020136-02$03.00

138 Biomaterials 7985, Vol6 March

 Mould release agent: A.G. Andreopoulos

Table 3 The adhesive bond developed with varying retarder concen-

trations.

Adhesive bond (kg/cm2) X lo3

Retarder (%) 30s 20 h

0 63 80
1 81 92
2 91 101
3 94 106

I oc

Figure 1 The thickness of layer formed as a function of time.

The data are plotted in Figure 1 and the curves indicate,

there is a decrease in gelling rate as the retarderconcentra- EC
tion increases, for setting periods greater than 4 min. The
gel thickness is greater in the absence of retarder but
essentially the same for concentrations of l-3%, at least
for the first 3 min. For longer periods the thickness de-
creases with increasing retarder concentration.
It is also evident that a thickness of 55-65 pm (dry
gel) is reached within 5-6 min for a retarder concentration 60
of 2-3%. This can be explained if the gel formation is con-
I I I
sidered as a two stage process. The first stage (gel thick- 1 2 3
ness about 200 p) consisted of the immediate reaction of
sodium alginate with the dissolved calcium cations. When Retarder content (3)
retarder is present an inhibition is observed independent Figure 2 The adhesive bond changes with the reterder content.
of the retarder concentration. This is due to an excess con-
centration of calcium ions (resulting from dissolution)
compared with those required for precipitation of the centration leads to the formation of a film of 55-65 p
retarder in concentrations of l-3%. and enough time (5 to 6 min) is allowed forthe coating
In the second stage (above 200 p) the gel thickness of the mould.
is controlled by the diffusion rate of calcium ions through 2 The adhesive bond (although increasing up to con-
the layer formed in the first stage. The film growth rate is centrations of 3%) is sufficiently strong when the
therefore decreased because of the reduction of calcium retarder concentration is 2%.
ion concentration. For the same reason, the film growth
rate is diversified (in the second stage) bythe retardercon-
centration, being lower with increasing concentration.
The data referring to the adhesive bond on the plas-
ter surfaces are shown in Table 3 and in Figure 2. As the Whistler, R.L. Polysaccharides in Encyclopedic of Polymer
measurements indicate, there is an increase in adhesive Science end Technology, Vol. 11, John Wiley and Sons, New
York, 1969. pp 409-10
bond with retarder concentration after 30 s and 20 h and
Freemen, F.H., Dental materials in Encyclopedic of Chemical
this increase seems to reach a limiting value for concen- Technology, Vol. 6. John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1965. pp
trations greater than 2%. It cannot be attributed to the 801-2
adherence of the first layer to the plaster surface, because US Pat. 2 249 694 (Sept. 1939), S.W. Wilding (to the
the first setting stage is almost the same in all cases. This Amalgamated Dental Co.)
US Pat 2 434 005 (Jan. 1948). SE. Noyes
behaviour is a consequence of the film strength variation
Fisher, F.E. and Dijrtel, H., Z. Physiol. Chem. 1955, 302,
with setting time, i.e. the rate of its formation. 185-203
Hang, A., Composition and production of alginates, Report No.
30, 1964, Norwegian Ind. of Seaweed Research, Trondheim
CONCLUSIONS McDowell, R.H., Properries of Alginetes, (2nd Edn). Walker
House, London, 1961, p 24
1 An alginate solution, suitable for use as a mould 7977Annual book of ASTM Standards, (Part 22). American Sot.
release agent must contain 2-3% retarder. This con- for testing Materials, Easton, 1977. pp 248-52

Biomaterials 1985, Vol 6 March 139