Effect of adding depolymerized polyethylene terephthalate waste on the acoustic insulation and hardness properties of Iraqi cement mortar

Abstract

depolymerized Polyethylene terephthalate waste (DPET) particles were prepared by bubble column reactor adding ethylene glycol as a solvent and Nano MgO as a catalyst and using DPET particles to modify the mortar by partial replacement of sand. The mechanical hardness test, the physical ultrasonic pulse velocity test and the acoustic insulation test of the modified cement mortar composite have been studied. DPET particles were used with four percentages of (1, 3, 6 and, 9)%wt of sand for each one of them. All tests were done for 28 days of curing. The cement mortar composite was prepared using water/cement ratio of (0.48) while sand-to-cement material ratio of (1:2.75) (2.75 parts of sand and 1 part of cement). The findings showed that there was no clear influence of DPET on the hardness of the cement mortar, where the hardness of mixture with 3% DPET equal to that of mixture with no DPET was (91.7 shore A), while the hardness of other mixtures with (1, 6 and 9)% PET were (91.6, 91.2 and 90.8 shore A) respectively. While the UPV of the modified cement mortar decrease with increase the amount of DPET particles, where the drops in UPV were (-2.98%) at 9% of DPET particles. The acoustic insulation of the modified cement mortar composite increase as the DPET increases in all frequencies that were used. This is indicate that DPET particles which that made through depolymerized the PET of waste water bottles can enhancement the physical and insulating properties of the mortar.