Studying some of mechanical properties and microstructure analysis for cement mortar using waste of depolymerized Polyethylene terephthalate by using bubble column technique

Abstract

In this study, the density and compressive strength together with microstructural analysis of cement mortar by partial replacement of fine aggregate with the powder of Polyethylene terephthalate PET depolymerized by using bubble column technique has been studied. The powder of depolymerized Polyethylene terephthalate DPET was used with four different contents of 1%, 3%, 6%, and 9% by weight of fine aggregate. The destructive compressive strength test was prepared once it reaches ages 7 and 28 days of curing. Before that, the density of mortar determines at some samples for both ages. The lightweight modification mortar was set with ratios of 0.48 for water to binder and 1:2.75 for the cement to sand. After completing specific tests, the data of the result presented that the density of the modification cement mortars drops when using DPET powder as fine aggregate. The compressive strength of the modification cement mortars with DPET powder was slightly decreased with the increase of DPET powder percent. The microstructure of the modification cement mortar containing DPET powder showed that DPET particles plug the holes.