Characterization of gypsum composites with polypropylene fibers from non-degradable wet wipes

Abstract

The research carried out studies how the addition of plastic polypropylene fibers from recycled non-degradable wet wipes can influence on the physical and mechanical behavior of composites with a gypsum binder matrix. Four different plaster blends were studied, corresponding to percentages of 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5% by weight of recycled plastic fibers. To characterize the different test specimens, properties such as density and strength (flexural and compressive) were determined. Also, in order to find out about the internal structure of the different composites developed at a microscopic level, a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) test was performed. The results show that more efficient materials can be obtained with a little decrease in their density compared to the reference material (gypsum). However, the improvement in the novel composites’ mechanical properties represents one of the most notable achievement of the study. A flexural strength rise of a 19% was achieved for mixtures with 2,5% of recycled PP fibers compared to the reference specimen. These results confirm the feasibility of using the gypsum composites produced for the design of new construction products and its application in building systems as wall and ceiling lining.