Utilization of Chrome Containing Leather Waste in Development of Aluminium Based Green Composite Material

Abstract

Leather industries are produced lots of hazardous waste in the town areas. Due to which level of soil and air pollutants are increasing day by day. These wastes also harm human health especially children and old age peoples. Among these leather wastes, chrome containing leather waste can be utilized to produce composite materials effectively. In the present work, an attempt is made to excerpt the chromium (Cr) based collagen powder from leather waste and utilize in the synthesis of MMCs. In this work, aluminium is used as base material whereas collagen powder is used as reinforcement along with Al2O3 ceramic particles as a primary reinforcement material. Results reveal the homogeneous distribution of Al2O3 particles and collagen powder in matrix material during the microstructural examination. Proper wettability and good interfacial reaction layer were observed between Collagen powder and Aluminium matrix material. Tensile strength was improved about 14.32% by adding simultaneously 5 wt. % Al2O3 and 1.25 wt. % collagen powder in the aluminium matrix material. However, the hardness was improved about 35.29% by adding 6.25 wt. % Al2O3 in aluminium. It has been also observed that impact strength significantly improved (27.77%) by adding 2.5 wt. % Al2O3 and 3.75 wt. % collagen powder simultaneously in aluminium. Minimum corrosion loss and thermal expansion have been observed for Al/1.25% Al2O3/5% collagen powder composite and Al/0% Al2O3/6.25% collagen powder composite respectively. X-ray diffraction analysis was also performed to validate the presence of Al2O3 and Cr in Al/Al2O3/Collagen powder metal matrix composite material. Mechanical properties were improved significantly by adding Al2O3 and Collagen powder simultaneously in Aluminium. Corrosion behaviour and thermal expansion of composite material were also identified to observe the Al2O3 and Collagen powder addition in Aluminium.