Mechanical Properties and Chemical Stability of Bathroom Wall Composites Manufactured from Recycle Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Mixed with Cocoa Hull Powder

Abstract

The recovery of plastic waste and agricultural residues has led us to develop composites based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) filled with cocoa shell powder. These shells have been previously treated with the organosolv process to improve the fiber-matrix interaction. The objective of this work is to develop wall covering materials to replace tiles which require a lot of energy and from PET. The composites were made by the method of melt mixing followed by compression molding. The mechanical, physico-chemical properties and stability to environmental conditions were evaluated. The results showed that the incorporation of 20–30% of powder in the matrix made of PET gave rise to a composite material with good properties for application in construction, as a wall covering replacing the tile. The study showed that the optimum powder weight ratio for optimum composite properties was achieved at a powder weight ratio of 30%. The maximum tensile strength of 60.3 MPa, bending strength of 19.5 MPa, impact strength of 10.3 MPa and water absorption of 1.34% were obtained. Compared with ceramic tile, this water absorption test value is within the range and shows that this composite tile is suitable for use as a bathroom tile.