Characterisation of melamine formaldehyde microspheres synthesised with prolonged microencapsulated reaction time

Abstract The aim of the research was to identify influence different microencapsulated reaction time on morphology, size, infrared spectral, thermal and micromechanical properties melamine formaldehyde microspheres, synthesised with modified in situ polymerisation. Microspheres are particles a blurred boundary core shell due their same composition. synthesis microspheres paused after 1, 3, 9 15 h, stopped 23 h. scanning electron microscopy granulometric analysis were used study morphology size microspheres. Regardless time, produced spherical shape rough surface. average almost identical (0.709–0.790 µm), while volume distribution curve became narrower prolonged time. curing mechanism resin studied using Fourier-transform spectroscopy analysis, nano-indentation identification. results revealed slightly more crosslinked structure: minimal (neglected) increased weight loss (only up 0.5%) minor Young’s modulus (up 2.3%). Using nano-indenter, hardness improved by 14.8% h