Development of Marble Dust/Waste PET Based Polymer Composite Material for Environmental Sustainability: Fabrication and Characterizations
Anas Islam, Shashi Prakash Dwivedi, Vijay Kumar Dwivedi, Shubham Sharma, Dražan Kozak
Abstract
ABSTRACT Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is available at a very low cost compared to the conventional methods of disposal. The reason for using marble dust is that it has good mechanical properties, and it is also a nonflammable compound. To develop the biocomposite, PET was allowed to mix with marble dust in a screwed extruder, and then its mechanical and physical properties were examined. Results indicate that the highest value of tensile strength was 14.5 MPa found at 15 wt. % of marble dust; the highest value of hardness was 31.45 HV at a wt. % of 17.5 % of marble dust; the highest ductility (percent elongation) was 2.2 at 0 wt. % of marble dust; and the highest value of compressive strength was 72.32 MPa at a wt. % of 17.5 % of marble dust. Because of its excellent mechanical and thermal properties, the addition of marble dust enhances the mechanical properties of the developed biocomposite significantly compared to the base material. The water absorption test, soil degradation test, and acid corrosion test of developed biocomposite has also been observed to identify the effect of marble dust in PET. In the current study, an attempt has been made to produce a composite material by utilizing waste PET as a matrix and marble dust as a reinforcement. The main reason for utilizing these wastes is to minimize the pollution that is caused by these agents.