Polymers and Polymer Composites

FABRICATION OF COMPOSITE TILES FROM POLY(ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) (PET) AND MICRO-MARBLE PARTICLES REINFORCED WITH GLASS FIBER MATS: COMPARISON OF RECYCLED AND COMMERCIAL RESIN

March 1, 2013 By: Galip Icduygu M; Levent Aktas; Cengiz Altan M Research article

Title: FABRICATION OF COMPOSITE TILES FROM POLY(ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) (PET) AND MICRO-MARBLE PARTICLES REINFORCED WITH GLASS FIBER MATS: COMPARISON OF RECYCLED AND COMMERCIAL RESIN
Page Range: p.171-176
Author(s): Galip Icduygu M; Levent Aktas; Cengiz Altan M
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 21
Issue No: No.3

Abstract
Polyester composite tiles (PCT) are synthesised from PET and fabricated by compression moulding using micromarble clusters as filler. Identical PCTs are also fabricated by using commercially available polyester resin to compare properties. Three batches of marble clusters with different size distributions are used to assess the effect of filler particle size on mechanical properties. Tiles prepared using finer marble grades yield consistently higher flexural strength and stiffness values regardless of the synthesised or commercial polyester resin. However, the flexural strength and stiffness of the tiles prepared with commercial polyester are observed to be on average 1.8 and 2.5 fold higher, respectively. Prospects of improving mechanical properties are explored by reinforcing PC tiles with randomly oriented, discontinuous glass fibres. This is achieved by placing a single layer of glass fibre mat on the top and bottom tile surface. Presence of fibre mats leads to the formation of a graded particle size distribution across the mat thickness when the coarse grade marble dust is used. This distribution resulted in significant improvements in flexural strength, stiffness and overall toughness of the tiles. The improvements observed in PCTs prepared with synthesised polyester resin surpassed the improvements in their counterparts prepared with commercial polyester. In fact, the flexural strength of the glass fibre mat reinforced PCTs prepared with synthesised and commercial polyester resin are observed to be statistically identical. 18 Refs.


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