PRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS OF METALLIC AND PLASTIC SEALANT

The project research entailed the production of high quality sealant incorporating a local raw material for sealing holes and gaps in various materials like metal and plastic. Two samples of acrylic sealants were produced, the first samples which is the standard formulations involved the use of silica gel as a major adhesion promoter and the second samples which is the research formulations involved the use of sand (sharp colourless sand with 59% silica/silicondioxide composition)) as a major adhesion promoter. The two samples were subjected to various test characteristics to check and compare their performance. The test results showed that both samples exhibited excellent adhension and sealing properties to metallic, plastic, wooden and ceramic materials. The tensile test result showed that the tensile strength of the formulation with silica Gel (Control experiment) decreased with the increase in silica gel in the formulation of the samples ranging from 36 to 13 MPa (see table 4.1), while the tensile strength of the formulation with sand (research experiment) increased with the increase in sand in the formulation, ranging from 36 to 71MPa (see table 4.2). Showing that the research formulations exhibited a greater tensile strength than the standard formulations and other high strength sealants from research. It is recommended that the use of sand should be used to replace silicon/silica gel in the production of acrylic sealant since it is more available, less expensive and offers a greater tensile strength.