Improvement Of Mechanical Properties Research Articles

Characterisation of AZ31/TiC composites fabricated via ultrasonic vibration assisted friction stir processing

In this study, the effect of ultrasonic vibration during Friction Stir Vibration Processing (FSVP) on the microstructure and mechanical behaviour of AZ31/TiC surface composites was investigated. Specifically, Titanium Carbide (TiC) particles were introduced as a reinforcement (15 vol%) into the magnesium alloy AZ31 using both Friction Stir Processing (FSP) and FSVP. Comprehensive examinations were carried out to analyse the microstructure, hardness, and tensile behaviour of the resulting composites. The study revealed significant improvements in mechanical properties due to the application of ultrasonic vibration during FSP. Firstly, the stir zone region was found to be free from voids, enhancing material flow and promoting even dispersion of TiC powders within the matrix. Secondly, refinement of grains was observed due to dynamic recrystallization and the pinning effect imposed by TiC particles, leading to the formation of more dislocations in the composite and indicating a considerable alteration in the material’s structure. Importantly, the vibration during FSP introduced an auxiliary energy source, resulting in a remarkable enhancement in both hardness and tensile strength. Compared to the AZ31/15 vol% TiC FSP composite, the composites produced via FSVP exhibited a grain size reduction of about 64% and improvements in hardness and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of about 55% and 21%, respectively. Notably, these improvements were achieved without compromising the ductility of the composite, which remained at appreciable levels.

Preparation of Cf/Si3N4 composites based on vat photopolymerization combined with precursor infiltration and pyrolysis

AbstractThe development of vat photopolymerization (VPP) 3D printing technology has created the conditions for the fabrication of complex structured Si3N4 ceramics. However, Si3N4 ceramics produced through VPP often lack sufficient mechanical properties, which limiting their applications. This study introduces short carbon fibers (Cf) into the VPP‐Si3N4 ceramics, combined with the polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) process, to prepare Cf/Si3N4 composites. The effect of Cf content on slurry preparation, green part printing, and mechanical properties of the Cf/Si3N4 composites was systematically investigated. The results indicate that Cf significantly enhances the mechanical properties of Cf/Si3N4 composites. At 6 wt.% Cf content, the samples exhibit the highest strength and fracture toughness, reaching 183.2 MPa and 6.2 MPa·m1/2, respectively, representing increases of 29.7% and 92.3% compared to samples without Cf. The improvement in mechanical properties is partly due to the ‘pinning effect’ of Cf, which enhances interlayer bonding strength in the printed green parts, positively impacting the overall mechanical properties of the composites. Additionally, inherent toughening mechanisms of Cf, such as fiber pull‐out, crack deflection, and crack bridging, further enhance the composite's mechanical properties. This study confirms the feasibility of using Cf to enhance the mechanical properties of VPP‐Si3N4 ceramic.

Effect of wall thickness on the precipitation behavior, microstructure, electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of copper alloy prepared by electron beam powder bed fusion

Electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF) is one of the most promising technologies for preparing thin-walled copper alloy, because copper alloy have a high energy absorption rate for electron beam, and high preheating temperature can reduce the solidification temperature gradient and reduce the deformation of thin-walled parts. At present, there are few reports on the systematic research work on the EB-PBF of thin-walled CuCrZr alloy parts, and it's impossible to effectively supervise the production of complex thin-walled CuCrZr alloy parts. This work aims to investigate the effect of thickness on the microstructure and mechanical properties of CuCrZr alloy produced by EB-PBF. As the wall thickness decreases from 5.0 mm to 0.3 mm, the grain sizes of the XY and YZ planes decreased from 20.4 μm and 43.1 μm to 14.5 μm and 21.5 μm respectively, and the texture intensity decreased from 16.04 and 23.57 to 7.62 and 10.99. The analysis showed that Cr2O3 nanoprecipitates were precipitated in situ in the sample, and their average size decreased from 65.8 nm to 21.6 nm. Due to the reduction in grain and nanoprecipitate size, the performance of thin-walled samples is significantly enhanced, with yield strength (YS) increasing from 112 MPa to 165 MPa and conductivity increasing from 71.7 %IACS to 86.1 %IACS. Finally, the main contributions to the YS of specimens with different wall thicknesses was discussed. Precipitation strengthening and dislocation strengthening are the main strengthening mechanisms in thin-walled samples, and the gradual refinement of nano-precipitates is the main reason for the improvement of mechanical properties as the wall thickness decreases.

Super Tough PA6/PP/ABS/SEBS Blends Compatibilized by a Combination of Multi-Phase Compatibilizers.

Development of multi-component blends to prepare high-performance polymer materials is still challenging, and is a key technology for mechanical recycling of waste plastics. However, a multi-phase compatibilizer is prerequisite to create high-performance multi-component blends. In this study, POE-g-(MAH-co-St) and SEBS-g-(MAH-co-St) compatibilizers are prepared via melt-grafting of maleic anhydride (MAH) and styrene (St) dual monomers to polyolefin elastomer (POE) and poly [styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene] (SEBS), respectively. Subsequently, these compatibilizers are utilized to compatibilize the PA6/PP/ABS/SEBS quaternary blends through melt-blending. When POE-g-(MAH-co-St) and SEBS-g-(MAH-co-St) are added, respectively, both can promote the distribution of the dispersed phases, significantly reducing the dispersed phase size. When adding 10 wt% POE-g-(MAH-co-St) and 10 wt% SEBS-g-(MAH-co-St) together, compared to the non-compatibilized blend, the fracture strength, fracture elongation, and impact strength surprisingly increased by 106%, 593%, and 823%, respectively. It can be attributed to the hierarchical interfacial interactions which facilitate gradual energy dissipation from weak to strong interfaces, resulting in the improvement of mechanical properties. The synergistic effect of the enhanced phase interfacial interactions and toughening effect of elastomer compatibilizer achieved simultaneous growth in strength and toughness.

A comparative study on tribological and mechanical behavior of as-cast and aged Mg-6Gd-2Ag-0.6Zr alloy at elevated temperatures

The effects of aging treatment on the mechanical and tribological behavior of Mg-6Gd-2Ag-0.6Zr alloy were investigated. Shear punch testing and hot hardness measurements were conducted to evaluate the mechanical properties of the alloys at various temperatures of 25–350 °C. The aging treatment enhanced the mechanical behavior of the alloy, resulting in increases in hardness and ultimate shear strength by about 53–64% and 11–22%, respectively, at various temperatures. Dry sliding wear tests were carried out under the normal loads of 5, 20, 40, and 60 N within a temperature range of 25–325 °C using a Pin-on-disk tribometer against AISI52100 steel disks. Despite the improvements in mechanical properties, the aging treatment reduced wear resistance by about 45% under a normal load of 5 N at various wear temperatures. However, as the normal load was increased to 60 N the aged alloy showed about 11–23% lower wear rate at various temperatures. The characterization of the wear surfaces also showed that the oxidation wear became more dominant as the normal load and the wear temperature increased. Under higher normal loads of 40 and 60 N, a 54–88% greater transfer of magnesium oxides was observed on the steel disk, which reduced the contact between the steel disk and the magnesium alloy pin.

Fabrication and characterization of nacre-inspired metal/ceramic composites containing AlN nanowhiskers

Nacre-like composites prepared by infiltrating ice-templated porous ceramic-scaffolds with molten metal phases have successfully imitated the strengthening and toughening mechanisms of nacre at different lengthscales from macro to micro, but have not yet been able to replicate the nanoscale toughening mechanisms of nacre, which limits the further improvement in mechanical properties of the nacre-inspired composites. To resolve this issue, we prepared nacre-inspired Al/SiC composites containing AlN nanowhiskers by in-situ growth of whiskers during the spontaneous infiltration process of Al-10 wt%Mg alloy into an ice-templated porous SiC skeleton. It was found that the oxidation of the SiC skeleton had a significant impact on the growth of AlN nanowhiskers, as well as the phase composition and mechanical properties of the composites. When the skeleton was oxidized at 1100 °C in air for 2 h, the composite exhibited a large number of AlN whiskers and the optimal phase composition, while the flexural strength and fracture toughness of the composite reached their maximum values. The strengthening and toughening mechanisms, such as plastic deformation, crack deflection, multiple cracking, crack bridging, crack branching, and delamination, caused by the lamellar structure were observed. It was also found that the pull-out and bridging of the AlN whiskers provided strengthening and toughening effects at the nanoscale for the nacre-like composites.

Enhanced mechanical properties of the surface-modified CNTs reinforced 2195 aluminum-based composite

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced aluminum-based composites exhibit characteristics such as low density, high specific strength, and high specific stiffness, making them promising materials for applications in aerospace, automotive lightweighting, and other fields. The dispersion of CNTs in the aluminum matrix and the strength of the interface between CNTs and the aluminum matrix are crucial for the preparation of CNTs reinforced aluminum-based composites. In this study, CNTs were surface-modified with partial coating of Al2O3, and then the CNTs reinforced 2195 aluminum-based composite (2195/CNT composite) were prepared using a combination of melting-casting process and hot extrusion. The tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation of the aged 2195/CNT composite reached 697 MPa, 590 MPa, and 11.3%, respectively, demonstrating a significant improvement in mechanical properties compared to 2195 alloy prepared under the same conditions. CNTs were primarily present at grain boundaries, and a small amount of glow stick-like Al4C3 phase was found near the CNTs. The formation of glow stick-like Al4C3 phase was attributed to the segregation of solute elements at the interface in the alloy. First-principles calculations revealed that solute elements tended to segregate at the interface closer to the aluminum matrix. Moreover, the segregation of Cu and Ag elements at the interface could enhance the cleavage energy of the Al4C3/Al interface, while the segregation of Mg elements reduced the cleavage energy of the interface. This study also analyzed the reinforcement mechanisms involved in the 2195/CNT composite.

Phase reversion mediated the dual heterogeneity of grain size and dislocation density in an equiatomic CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy

An ultra-high strain rate (104 s-1) dynamic plastic deformation treatment at liquid nitrogen temperature (LNT-DPD) followed by annealing is carried out to obtain dual heterogeneity of grain size and dislocation density in an equiatomic CrCoNi medium entropy alloy (MEA). Such extreme loading conditions resulted in extensive phase transformation in this MEA. Subsequent annealing at 650°C for 1 h further induced reverse phase transformation and partial recrystallization, forming a complex heterogeneous microstructure characterized by nested trimodal grain sizes and partitioned dislocation density. A superior yield strength of ∼800MPa and a good ductility of ∼40% were simultaneously achieved in this heterogeneous alloy. In order to reveal the effects of grain size and dislocation density distributions on the mechanical property improvements, the underlying deformation mechanisms were systematically discussed. High density of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) would be induced in complex heterogeneous structures during tensile deformation due to strain gradients or partitioning between different regions, which would lead to additional strengthening and work hardening. These results provide a novel approach to overcome the strength-ductility trade-off dilemma for FCC-structured MEAs.

Targeted CRISPR regulation of ZNF865 enhances stem cell cartilage deposition, tissue maturation rates, and mechanical properties in engineered intervertebral discs

Cell and tissue engineering based approaches have garnered significant interest for treating intervertebral disc degeneration and associated low back pain due to the substantial limitations of currently available clinical treatments. Herein we present a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-guided gene modulation strategy to improve the therapeutic potential of cell and tissue engineering therapies for treating intervertebral disc disease. Recently, we discovered a zinc finger (ZNF) protein, ZNF865 (BLST), which is associated with no in-depth publications and has not been functionally characterized. Utilizing CRISPR-guided gene modulation, we show that ZNF865 regulates cell cycle progression and protein processing. As a result, regulating this gene acts as a primary titratable regulator of cell activity. We also demonstrate that targeted ZNF865 regulation can enhance protein production and fibrocartilage-like matrix deposition in human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs). Furthermore, we demonstrate CRISPR-engineered hASCs ability to increase GAG and collagen II matrix deposition in human-size tissue-engineered discs by 8.5-fold and 88.6-fold, respectively, while not increasing collagen X expression compared to naive hASCs dosed with growth factors. With this increased tissue deposition, we observe significant improvements in compressive mechanical properties, generating a stiffer and more robust tissue. Overall, we present novel biology on ZNF865 and display the power of CRISPR-cell engineering to enhance strategies treating musculoskeletal disease. Statement of significanceThis work reports on a novel gene, ZNF865 (also known as BLST), that when regulated with CRISPRa, improves cartilagenous tissue deposition in human sized tissue engineering constructs. Producing tissue engineering constructs at human scale has proven difficult, and this strategy presents a broadly applicable tool to enhance a cells ability to produce tissue at these scales, as we saw an ∼8–88 fold increase in tissue deposition and significantly improved biomechanics in large tissue engineered intervertebral disc compared to traditional growth factor differentiation methods. Additionally, this work begins to elucidate the biology of this novel zinc finger protein, which appears to be critical in regulating cell function and activity.

Improvement of microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Cu-Li-Mg-Zn alloys through water-cooling centrifugal casting technique

Improvement of microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Cu-Li-Mg-Zn alloys through water-cooling centrifugal casting technique

Tailoring the microstructure and mechanical properties of wire arc additively manufactured Ti6Al4V alloy by in-situ microalloying with modified nanocarbon

Carbon alloying is a validated strategy for enhancing the mechanical properties of titanium alloys prepared by wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). However, achieving uniform carbon distribution, particularly nanocarbon, in the melt pool via the brushing method is challenging, which limits the improvement of mechanical properties. In this paper, nanocarbon was modified by nitric acid hydrothermal treatment and added into the Ti64 melt pool during the WAAM. The distribution of modified nanocarbon in the melt pool was characterized, and the microstructure and mechanical properties of the nanocarbon-alloyed titanium alloy deposits were studied. The findings revealed that the surface of modified nanocarbon generated oxygen-containing functional groups, which enhanced its dispersion in the melt pool. The addition of 0.1–0.3 wt% modified nanocarbon induced no pores in the deposits compared to unmodified ones. The tensile strength of the deposited alloys was continually enhanced with increasing modified nanocarbon content, while the elongation had a peak value. The Ti64 with 0.1 wt% nanocarbon exhibited a balanced comprehensive performance with an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 981 MPa coupled with an elongation of 8 %. The achievement of the balanced mechanical performances was attributed to the refinement of α-Ti and solid solution strengthening of nanocarbon. When 0.3 wt% nanocarbon was added, the UTS increased to 1012 MPa but the elongation sharply decreased to 4.5 % due to the precipitation of TiC.

Hybrid siloxane oligomer: A promising consolidant for the conservation of powdered tremolite jade artifacts

Jade has played a pivotal role in the political, economic, cultural, and technological development of ancient societies. However, numerous tremolite jade artifacts unearthed from archaeological sites exhibit various deterioration patterns due to natural weathering and human activities. Among these, powdering is the most detrimental form of degradation, significantly affecting the physical characteristics of artifacts, as well as archaeological research and museum exhibitions. This paper develops a novel hybrid siloxane oligomer as a potential consolidant for powdered tremolite jade artifacts and compares it with traditional consolidants, including acrylic resin and ethyl silicate. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses show that the jade samples used in the experiment are predominantly composed of tremolite. Various techniques are employed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of the three consolidants, including color variation tests, open porosity tests, contact angle measurements, peeling tests, hardness tests, ultra-depth-of-field microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The novel hybrid siloxane oligomer demonstrates superior consolidation effects, with consolidated samples showing significant improvements in mechanical properties, reaching a Leeb hardness of 163 HL, while maintaining color variations within acceptable limits (ΔE = 3.87). The results demonstrate the potential of the novel hybrid siloxane oligomer in consolidating powdered tremolite jade artifacts.

Improvement in mechanical properties of extruded Mg alloy through shape control of extrusion billet

This study proposes controlling the billet shape to enhance dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior and improve the mechanical properties of AZ31 alloy extrudates. Billets with two shapes—conventional cylindrical (non-tapered) and cone-shaped (tapered)—were used to compare DRX behavior and mechanical properties of the extrudates. The results indicate that the greater and more uniform deformation induced by compressive stress between the container wall and the tapered billet results in greater amounts of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) and deformation twins at the beginning of the extrusion. These crystallographic features, along with a higher deformation degree, increase the DRX fraction from 81% for the non-tapered extrudate to 89% for the tapered extrudate. Consequently, the tapered extrudate exhibits a simultaneous improvement in yield strength (168–184 MPa) and elongation (25%–29%) compared to the non-tapered extrudate. Grain size reduction, texture weakening, and strain hardening by residual strain in unDRXed grains contribute to the improvement in mechanical properties of the tapered extrudate. The proposed tapered billet extrusion process offers a pathway to producing high-performance Mg alloy extrudates without additional processes such as pre-deformation or die-angle utilization.

The synergistic sintering of ultra-lightweight ceramsite from molybdenum ore tailings, iron ore tailings and waste glass powders: Properties and formation mechanism

Molybdenum ore tailings, iron ore tailings and waste glass powders are important industrial solid wastes, mainly composed of silicate minerals and quartz, which are expected to become alternative resources for inorganic non-metal industrial materials. In this paper, the ultra-lightweight ceramsite was prepared by the synergistic sintering of molybdenum ore tailings, iron ore tailings and waste glass powders according to their characteristics of silicate minerals. The physical and mechanical properties were investigated when the sintering temperature was between 1100 and 1140 °C. The evolution of mineral phases and formation mechanism of pore structure during sintering were studied by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TG-DSC and HSM. The results showed that in the sintering process, the waste glass powders and the pargasite in iron ore tailings first melted to produce the initial liquid phases. Then the anorthoclase and the quartz in molybdenum ore tailings melted to produce a large amount of liquid phases. These liquid phases covered the gas generated by the oxidation of SiC, thus forming a rich pore structure. At the same time, the [Si2O64−] and Ca2+, Mg2+ in the liquid phases derived from quartz and pargasite melting recrystallized to form diopside, which was conducive to the improvement of mechanical properties of ceramsite. When the raw material ratio of molybdenum ore tailings, iron ore tailings and waste glass powders was 6:2:2 and the sintering temperature was 1120 °C, the pore structure of the ceramsite as prepared was uniform and rich and mostly closed. The density was low and the mechanical propertities were excellent. It has a good application prospect in the field of building thermal insulation and sound insulation.

Optical, electrical, dielectric and mechanical properties of microcrystalline cellulose/starch based biocomposite films

Abstract In this work, we have synthesized biocomposite films based on starch reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) with different MCC/starch weight contents (0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 %). These films were characterized by various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), which showed dispersed and biocompatible structures for MCC and starch. It was found that the increase in MCC content (from 0 to 7 wt%) led to decreasing the water solubility, and reducing the absorption coefficients, transmission percentages and electrical conductivity. However, the improvement of dielectric and mechanical properties was demonstrated by decreasing the dielectric loss tangent and increasing the Young’s modulus, respectively making them suitable for dielectric and mechanical applications.

Cemented sand under hollow cylinder multiaxial loading

Improvement of granular soils’ mechanical properties can be achieved by the addition of bonding agents. In this research, low amount of Portland cement was added to a sand, and its beneficial shear strengthening effects were evaluated under a range of multiaxial stress paths. The influence of the orientation of the principal axes of stress and strain on the stress–strain response and failure of cemented sand has only been scarcely investigated. Therefore, this experimental investigation reports the results of a series of consolidated drained hollow cylinder torsional tests with constant principal stress path direction, ασ, varying from 0° to 90°. Results were compared with the shear behaviour of the uncemented sand tested under similar loading conditions. Results show that the addition of cement to the sand matrix increases the soil strength for all multiaxial stress path directions. The suitability of two multiaxial strength criteria for reproducing the shape of the failure envelope as a function of the orientation of principal stress axis ασ has also been analysed.

High strength C/Si‒Ni‒C composites fabricated by reaction melt infiltration with Si‒Ni alloy at lower temperature

AbstractSilicon‒nickel alloy (Si‒Ni) was first used for fabricating continuous carbon fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites by reaction melt infiltration process. Based on Si‒Ni phase diagram, 66.7 at.% Si‒Ni was chosen, which has a lower liquidus temperature of 1115°C. The C/Si‒Ni‒C composites were infiltrated at temperature of 1270°C‒1390°C, and the prepared composite consists of C, SiC, NiSi, and NiSi2 phases. The density of the composite is higher than 2.29 g/cm3 and their open porosity is below 3%, indicating the composite was infiltrated completely by the Si‒Ni alloy. The C/Si‒Ni‒C composite exhibits significantly higher flexural strength and fracture toughness compared to the C/C‒SiC composite infiltrated with pure silicon at 1500°C. Specifically, the flexural strength and fracture toughness of the C/Si‒Ni‒C composite infiltrated at 1390°C increase by 140% and 300%, respectively. The improvement of mechanical properties contributed to the low reactivity between silicon‒nickel with carbon fibers, and the lower infiltration temperature, which can reduce degradation of carbon fiber as reinforcement. Moreover, the NiSi2 and NiSi alloy phases in the C/Si‒Ni‒C composite replace the brittle silicon phase in the C/C‒SiC composite, which can obviously enhance the fracture toughness.

Modeling and characterization of the mechanical properties of nanofiber yarn

This study investigates the mechanical properties and unique structural features of nanofiber yarns produced via electrospinning. Through experimental, analytical, and numerical methods, the tensile behavior of the yarns was evaluated. Nanofiber yarns, composed of submicron-diameter fibers, exhibit a significantly larger surface area and stronger fiber interactions compared to conventional yarns. These structural characteristics result in a marked improvement in mechanical properties, with the nanofiber yarns showing a 25% increase in stiffness and a 15% enhancement in damping capacity. A three-element viscoelastic model was applied to accurately describe the nonlinear tensile response of the yarns, with a high correlation to experimental data (R2 > 0.999). Furthermore, nanofiber yarns demonstrated superior thermo-mechanical stability, with a tan δ peak observed at 108 °C, compared to 100 °C for conventional yarns. These findings suggest that nanofiber yarns are promising candidates for applications in tissue engineering, filtration, energy storage, and other high-performance fields. The research provides a solid foundation for further optimization of nanofiber yarns to fully exploit their mechanical potential.

Design of C2S-CS low-calcium system for synergistic improvement of CO2 sequestration capacity and mechanical properties

Low-calcium minerals exhibit significant potential as energy-efficient binder clinker materials, characterized by reduced emissions and enhanced carbon sequestration through accelerated carbonation curing. However, traditional low-calcium binders typically utilize one or two minerals in a straightforward compound form as clinker, resulting in elevated costs, excessive resource consumption, and suboptimal performance. This study developed a novel C2S-CS low-calcium system that integrated γ-C2S, β-C2S, and CS in specific proportions based on their characteristics, utilizing Simplex-centroid designs. Contour maps achieved to assess relationship between performance and mineral composition, while interaction mechanisms were investigated through carbonation products and reaction heat analysis. Furthermore, optimum proportion range of C2S-CS system can be synthesized efficiently and environmentally from solid waste wollastonite tailings in a single step. The results demonstrated that the designed system achieved synergistic improvements in CO2 sequestration capacity and mechanical properties. After 24 h of carbonation curing, it attained a compressive strength of 129 MPa, sequestered 217 kg/t CO2, and exhibited satisfactory durability. This study provides valuable insights for the practical production of low-calcium binders and reveals opportunities for developing sustainable building materials for eco-friendly construction.

Effect of particle size and replacement ratio on mechanical performance of cementitious mortar containing ground recycled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (GRABS) waste plastics

While waste plastics have been used as a natural sand aggregate replacement in cementitious mortar as a sustainable option to mitigate global accumulation of plastic waste in landfills, fundamental mechanical properties like compressive, tensile, and shear must be known to advance design and practical application of these cement-concrete composites as suitable building construction materials. Experimental testing is conducted to reveal to what extent the cementitious composite properties are altered, thereby influencing their overall mechanical performance, when both ungraded and graded ground recycled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (GRABS) plastic are employed as substitutes for natural aggregates. The novelty of this research lies in its pioneering investigation to quantify the effects of varying particle sizes and volume fractions of waste plastics acquired through mechanical recycling and their influences on the mechanical properties of mortars containing plastics as a composite material. The results from fresh and hardened material properties are compared to conventional mortar properties to examine the impact of various GRABS particle sizes and volume fractions on the overall material strength. While replacing sand with waste plastic generally reduced mechanical properties, the resulting mixes still met the minimum compressive strength (4060 psi [28 MPa]) as per ASTM C150 standards for Portland cement. Notably, graded plastic particles with sizes less than 0.024 in [0.6 mm] demonstrated an overall improvement in mechanical properties compared to ungraded particles. Failure mechanisms responsible for compressive, tensile, and shear damage development are discussed by analyzing the fracture surfaces, which provide insight into the intricate relationship between waste plastic size and distribution on the mechanical behavior of mortar. The findings indicate that GRABS waste plastics, when combined with sand at appropriate particle sizes and volume fractions, have the potential to create tailored mixes to meet minimum mix design standards for construction applications.