Polymer Chemistry Department

Overview

This department conducts demand driven, basic and applied research in Polymer Science and Technology. The department’s main concerns focus on value addition to Natural Rubber (NR) by the way of optimizing the properties of NR and NR based products. The department provides technological know-how to rubber wood processing and producing different types of adhesives. While providing consultancy services to the industry, the department also undertakes contract projects and provides specific testing services in its fields of expertise. The department has high tech instruments such as DMA, DSC, FTIR for cater to the people in the field of polymer Science. Areas of business that make use of these tests include the rubber, plastic, surface coating, bitumen, wood, tyre, glove and footwear industries.

Research Staff

Research Officer

Mrs I H K Samarasinghe, BSc (SL)

hasa86[at]gmail.com

Tel: 011-2633351 (Ext: 206)

Mobile: 0771717888

Ms Samarasinghe received her BSc (honours) from University of Colombo and is currently reading for Mphil in Polymer Technology at university of Moratuwa. Her current research interests include; Development of safe accelerator systems for dry rubber compounds, accelerator synthesis and performance analysis of varies type of latex blends. Moreover, her technical expertise and work experience include; Material Characterization using analytical techniques such as FTIR, TG/FTIR and Thermal analysis of polymers using DSC, TGA and DMA.

Current research Programmes

Development of environmentally friendly accelerator system for rubber compounds
Development of environmental friendly preservative system for NR latex.
Value addition of NR through in-situ reinforced NR /filler composites

Major analytical services and testing facilities

Material (such as elastomers,plastics,polymer blends,additives, resins, adhesives etc.)identification and characterization using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer(FTIR)
Silicone oil extraction and analysis on glove /Yarn samples using FTIR
Bloom analysis on rubber products.
Determination of thermal characteristics such as glass transition temperature (Tg), melting point and crystallization temperatures, degree of crystalinity etc., of polymers using Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC).
Evaluation of viscoelastic properties/ behaviours of polymers in terms of storage modulus, loss modulus and tan delta using Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA)

Other services offered by the Polymer Chemistry Department

Develops new formulations for various products such as sealants, emulsions, membranes, surface coatings, adhesives etc.,upon the requests of clients/ industries.
Provides supervision and laboratory facilitiesfor projects conducted by postgraduate and undergraduate students of state universities.

Recent Publications

Services

REVISED TESTING CHARGES – July 2022

Testing charges have been revised with effect from 01.07.2022, as mentioned in the following table.

Note: Please note that Transport charges, Priority charges & Institutional charges have not been added to the toal charges. It should be added to the total charges whenever necessary. Figuers are in LKR.

Name of the Test		Testing Fee (Rs.)
1	FTIR analysis per sample	2500
2	TGA analysis per sample	3100
3	DSC analysis per sample (if liquid nitrogen is not used)	3000
4	DSC analysis per sample (if liquid nitrogen is used)	4100
5	DMA analysis per sample (if liquid nitrogen is not used)	6100
6	DMA analysis per sample (if liquid nitrogen is used)	8300

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