Marble waste characterization and reinforcement in low density polyethylene composites via injection moulding: Towards improved mechanical strength and thermal conductivity

Enormous amount of accumulated waste is a matter of concern for environmental safety as it influences other precarious issues such as air pollution, land degradation, in addition to contamination of water & soil through leaching. A proficient recycling and management of generated solid waste is the key option to overcome such issues. Sustainable utilization of marble waste particulates as reinforcement in manufacturing LDPE-MW (low density polyethylene-marble waste) composites through injection moulding technique has been investigated. The mineralogical study of marble waste particulates revealed existence of dolomite (CaMg (CO3)(2)) and calcite (CaCO3) as major minerals with very small quantity of quartz (SiO2). Parallel results were obtained by thermal and FTIR analyses of marble waste particulates. The average particle size of marble waste particulates was 15.98 +/- 3.319 mu m with the bulk density 1.49 +/- 0.007 g/cc and porosity 35 +/- 1.85%. The pH was adjusted at 7.86 +/- 0.003 and electrical conductivity was 3.78 +/- 0.061 mS/cm. The FE-SEM analysis showed irregular morphology of marble waste particulates. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact strength of LDPE-MW composites were determined. Thermal conductivity of LDPE-MW composites was also reported. The obtained results showed maximum enhancement in the strength and thermal conductivity with incorporation of about 50% marble waste particulates. The findings of the present study revealed that there is considerable potential for large scale recycling of marble waste in making LDPE based hybrid materials, leads to create new application as architectural cladding wall panel, electrical insulating floor tiles and damping pads. (C) 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

Accumulated waste poses a threat to environmental safety, impacting issues such as air pollution, land degradation, and water/soil contamination. Effective recycling and management are essential in overcoming these challenges. Utilizing marble waste as reinforcement in manufacturing composites shows promising potential for creating innovative materials with applications in various fields.