Caracterização de compósito epóxi/tecido de pet pós-consumo

Abstract

There is no doubt whatsoever that the widest consumption of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle grade is a unique chapter among the resins produced in Brazil. Although the country is able to recycle more than a half of all PET production, the number of such material for bottle fabrication is still very high. It is important to remark that, though all benefits of PET resin uses in uncountable applications and under many processes; alternatives to its reuse throughout recycling dynamics must be developed. Thus, this work aims at evaluating the application of PET fabric coming from the process of bottle recycling polymeric composite reinforcements. In order to do so, after a preliminary characterization of the PET fabric by textile tests (Grammage determination; Tear propagation resistance; Tensile strength and elongation resistance), laminated polymeric composite with epoxy matrix as well as different fractions of fabric for checking and analysis of their main physicochemical, mechanical and thermal properties were engendered. The following tests were performed with the resin and with laminated composite: Density, Water absorption; Moisture content; Uniaxial tensile; Three point flexural test; Compression; Hardness; TG; DMA and Fracture analysis. By analyzing the results, it was noticed that the increase of fabric layers provide a resistance and compression gain to the composite, and it also increases the material viscoelastic stiffness, at the same time as its flexural strength is diminish. It was also noticed that its water absorption capacity was diminished. Nevertheless, its hardness and density properties did not present meaningful variation with the PET addition. The P90 setting with the highest content of PET fabric in the laminate presented itself as having the best results in the tests. Therefore the use of PET fabric presents attracting aspects to entrepreneurship. P90 configuration used as polymeric composite reinforcements were the one to present the best results. Such material brings socio-economical reflexions directly linked to the improvement of livelihood, natural resources economy and offset environment problems.