Incorporation of Porcelain Powder and Mineral Wastes in Epoxy Matrix for Artificial Stone Purchase

Abstract

Industrial waste incorporation in artificial stone production has been widely used nowadays, both in search of alternative raw materials as well as for seeking an environmentally correct destination for the waste. During ornamental stones processing, material losses are significant, generating wastes that are often inappropriately disposed of in nature. Quartzite is classified geologically as a metamorphic stone, composed almost entirely of quartz grains and porcelain powder and is characterized by a dense microstructure, consisting of mullite and quartz crystalline phases. The main aim of this work is to characterize and evaluate the effects of incorporating quartzite, quartz, and porcelain powder wastes in an epoxy matrix for artificial stone development. Plates were produced by the vacuum vibro-compression method, already adopted by companies in this field. The highest density mixture was calculated, and the artificial stone developed was characterized to evaluate its physical and mechanical properties. The two most close-packed mixtures were used to produce the plates. The absorption values obtained for the two compositions suggested the artificial stone can be used in external environments, tops, and floating/raised floors, due to the water absorption index ≤0.4%. The composition in which the porcelain powder was incorporated obtained maximum bending stress of 25 MPa, classifying the artificial stone as high quality to be applied as a coating.