Thermoset Polymer Matrix Composites of Epoxy, Unsaturated Polyester, and Novolac Resin Embedding Construction and Demolition Wastes powder: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Composite materials that consisted of a polymer resin as matrix (PMCs), filled using construction and demolition (C&D) wastes powder of different grain sizing in micro-scale were manufactured and studied. Three different kinds of resins were used as the matrix for the purposes of this study. More specifically, composites made of epoxy and unsaturated polyester resins purchased from the market and phenolic resin (novolac) laboratory synthesized, were produced. The morphological and elemental analysis of these materials was performed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additionally, mechanical performance and thermal insulating efficiency of these materials were examined through bending and shear strength tests according to the three-point method and via determination of the thermal conductivity coefficient λ. C&D wastes have undergone the appropriate processing in order to prepare filling products of the required granular size in pulverized form. In this research study, construction and demolition waste-based thermosetting polymer composites were produced with flexural strength in the range 20–60 MPa, shear strength in between 1–8 MPa, and thermal conductivity coefficients in the range of 0.27–1.20 W/mK. The developed materials embedded 30–50% w/w C&D wastes, depending on the resin used as the matrix.