Use Of Polyethylene Terephthalate Research Articles

Braid-reinforced PVDF hollow fiber membranes for high-efficiency separation of oily wastewater

Several efforts to produce mechanically robust polymeric hollow fiber membranes have led to the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hollow braided tubes, which offer rigidity to hollow fiber membranes. However, a compensation of flux exists with increased filtration pathway occasioned by braid substrate and thick polymer coating. It is often difficult to control the fabrication parameters to achieve uniformly coated and thin separation layer. In this work, we report a modification of the erstwhile dry-jet wet spinning process for braided hollow fiber by introducing a loop-system to increase resident time in the coagulation bath for effective solvent exchange and leaching of pore former additive. A combination of air gap (5, 15 and 25 cm), polymer concentration (15%, 17% and 19%) and take-up speed (1.2, 2.4 and 3.6 m/min) were varied to produce membranes with optimum filtration performance against crude oil emulsion feed. BRP-HM8 spun with 15 wt% PVDF, 15 cm air gap and take-up speed of 2 rpm exhibited thin and uniform coating outside of braid, well-developed pore structure resulting in high flux up to 620 L/m2h, good hydrophilic/oleophobic characteristics with > 98% rejection of crude oil as well high mechanical properties against harsh feed and elevated pressure.

Green Preparation of Aluminum-based Metal-organic Framework (Al-MOF) from Waste Plastic Bottles and Waste Aluminum Scraps

The vast use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) drinking water bottles has increased dramatically worldwide in recent decades, inflicting severe consequences on the environment. According to the latest survey, a million plastic bottles are bought around the globe every minute. The non-biodegradable nature of PET materials has led to a huge accumulation of plastic in waste landfills. Among the current recycling methods used to solve this environmental problem is chemical recycling. In this method, PET bottles are converted back cleanly into their starting materials: terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. This paper unveils the exploitation of recycling products from PET bottles and aluminium scraps in order to prepare a metal-organic framework (MOF) material. The characterization of the prepared MOF substance was carried out using different techniques such as IR, XRD, SEM and elemental analysis.

Chemical depolymerization of recycled PET to oxadiazole and hydrazone derivatives: Synthesis, characterization, molecular docking and DFT study

The extensive use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-based packaging materials has increased the desire to focus on their recycling. In this study, a chemical depolymerization method is proposed for synthesizing terephthalic dihydrazide (TDH) via the aminolysis of post-consumed PET. TDH is further used as a precursor along with 2-chlorobenzoic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid to synthesize aromatic compounds, such as two oxadiazole derivatives, with potential applications. TDH is also used along with 2-chlorobenzaldehyde, benzaldehyde, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde to synthesize three hydrazone derivatives. The five compounds (the oxadiazoles and hydrazones) are well characterized by ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, elemental analysis, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermal analysis. The theoretical parameters of the compounds are studied by ab initio density functional theory (DFT). The DFT calculations are conducted at Becke’s three parameter and Lee–Yang–Parr (B3LYP) functional level of calculation with 631-G basis set. Moreover, several thermodynamic parameters at the ground state, such as the point group symmetry, dipole moment, and vibrational frequency, are calculated. The study of molecular docking of the synthesized compounds with target proteins (glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase (GlcN-6-P) and sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51)) is conducted. Further, different parameters, such as the binding energy (BE), inhibition constant, internal energy, total intermolecular van der Waals forces, unbound energy, and hydrogen bond energy, are calculated. The three of the synthesized compounds are evaluated for antifungal and antibacterial activities using agar well diffusion method. The study of such compounds can offer a good prospective as potential antimicrobial and antifungal leads.

Strength Characteristics of M40 Grade Concrete using Waste PET as Replacement for Sand

The wide variety of industrial and domestic applications of plastic products has fuelled a global trend in their use. The vast amount of plastic items that are discarded after use, on the other hand, pollutes the environment. In light of this, the current study investigated the use of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) as substitute for natural sand in concrete production. Locally sourced river sand was replaced with industrially ground waste PET in proportions of 4 to 20% at a step of 4% by the weight of natural sand whereas other concrete constituents (cement, granite, water-cement ratio and superplasticizer) were kept constant. A Grade M40 concrete with a mix proportion of 1:1:2:0.35 (cement: sand: granite: water-to-cement ratio) was used for all concrete mixes. Concrete without PET represents the control. Fresh (Slump) and hardened (compressive, split tensile and flexural) properties of the produced concrete were assessed using standard testing methods. The results showed that the slump of concrete decreased by 1.8% and 12.5% with an increase in PET content from 0 to 20%. The 28-day compressive strength of concrete containing PET was lower than the control. However, concrete with 4% PET compared considerably well with control with the compressive strength value exceeding the target strength of 40 N/mm2 while concretes containing PET beyond 4% had compressive strength below the target strength. The split tensile strength of concrete containing 4% PET was higher than that of the control but exhibited lower flexural strength than the control at the age of 28 days. It was concluded that the reuse of PET as a substitute for natural sand as an alternative waste disposal solution for eco-friendly concrete development and attainment of a pollution-free environment is viable.

A Revolution of Biomaterials in Medical Sciences

Biomaterial science discusses diagnostics and therapeutics; it encloses the basic sciences (Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Mathematics), medical sciences, and engineering sciences. The Biomaterials field has noticed a revolutionary growth since the application of old medical devices used in the late 1940s and early 1050s.1 This field progressed with the industrial revolution, increasing population, advances in medical health, luxurious life standards, and previously untreatable medical conditions that caused dire health crises to humanity. Right after World War II, the scientists started working on the biomaterials by dint off. Biomedicals experienced a revolutionary generation with an average gap of 10-20 years approximately.The first-generation biomaterials era is supposed to be between the 1950s–1960s. These materials were mainly used for industrial purposes rather than being specifically used for medical purposes. They were merely the conjugation of physical properties particular to use in the clinical field and also because they were bioinert, that is why they thought to be biocompatible.2 The extensively used silicone rubbers and elastomeric polymers were prototypical. Pyrolytic carbon was synthesized in the early 1960s as a material used for fuel-related components like fuel particles. But today, it is widely used to coat the mechanical heart valves, they are considered to be the earliest biomaterials whose properties and composition were analyzed thoroughly by using the principles of engineering.3The second-generation biomaterials are evolved from previous biomaterials that were designed to show a therapeutic effect after being implanted in human tissues. In the 1980s these biomaterials were extensively used in dental, orthopedic, ocular surgeries. In the controlled localized drugs release applications like Norplant hormone-loaded contraceptive formulations, and in other devices like HeartMate, a device that is used to assist left ventricle in patients who have congestive heart failure. This aforementioned device is internally composed of Polyurethane, a material that controls a thrombotic pathology to reduce the risk of de-adhering fractions of blood clots into the bloodstream of patients. Drug-eluting endovascular stents is another exemplary precedent of the second-generation biomaterials used in medical devices that helps in controlling the restenosis following balloon angioplasty.4,5The third and the most revolutionary generation of biomaterials elicits the novel art of science and technology, that are bestowed with the goal of regeneration of functional human tissues. Throughout the medical history of humans, medical scientists, physicians were unable to restore and regenerate the infected tissues and organs of humans. The role of the physician was very palliative – relieving symptoms without curing. The boom in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering broke all previous stereotypes by replacing the infected tissues and organs with implants. As we can see now these both medical domains are widely being used in therapeutics. The term tissue engineering is a broad concept that inter-relates the biomedical, engineering, medical sciences principles simultaneously.6 The advances in hip joint prosthesis are another precedent of the third generation of biomaterials, they are fabricated from a plethora of materials like titanium, composites, ceramics, Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, and special high strength alloys. The contemporary Intraocular lenses which are made from a biopolymer named Polymethyl methacrylate have also played a tremendous role in treating and correcting vision problems, Per-Ingvar Branemark revolutionized the dental implantology by introducing the development of roots from titanium, an applaudable use of Polyethylene terephthalate and Polytetrafluoroethylene in dialysis machine also helped medical practitioners in treating kidneys diseases, the suturing techniques uses biomaterials mainly Polyglactin, Polypropylene, Polydioxanone, etc. also helping the surgeons in vascular and skin grafting of patients and the list does not end here. Almost everything that we use in our daily life is the contemporary blessings of biomaterials.7

Use of polyethylene terephthalate as an Anti-stripping agent in GLASSPHALT

This study evaluates the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in Glassphalt aimed at increased bonding effect of bitumen, reduced stripping and increased in stability and strength. Control mix were prepared with bitumen content of 5.0, 5.5, 6, 6.5 and 7% to determine the optimum bitumen content (OBC). Optimum glass content (OGC) was obtained from samples prepared with glass content of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25% replacement by weight of fine aggregates. The OBC and OGC were used prepare samples with PET content of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10% by weight of the OBC. The optimum PET content had a higher stability value of 5.8kN and higher air void of 3.8% when compared to the control mix. Stripping value tests showed that PET modified glassphalt had 0% stripping after a period of 48 hours. Waste PET of 6.6% in 16% glassphalt is recommended for use as an anti-stripping agent.

Microplastic constituent identification from admixtures by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy: The use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and nylon (NY) as the model constituents

The ubiquity of microplastics receives an increasing concern due to their threats to the environment and ecology. The environmental sample of microplastics usually consists of a variety of polymer constituents, and the identification of each constituent is critical for pollution control and risk management. While the ambient microplastics were often analyzed considering the collected sample as a whole by measuring its weight and particle number, this study employed Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to identify the constituents of the tested microplastic admixture containing polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and nylon (NY). For each tested microplastic, the characteristic wave number(s) was determined based on its FTIR spectrum. Synthetic admixtures containing various combinations of tested microplastic constituents were analyzed, and the FTIR spectra enabled the identification of their respective plastic constituents. A procedure for microplastic identification was proposed. Additionally, samples from a selected industry and collected from the ambient environment were employed to explore the applicability of the proposed identification procedure. This study is a pioneer demonstration using FTIR to identify the microplastic constituents of an environmental sample

Influence of adding waste polyethylene terephthalate plastic strips on uniaxial compressive and tensile strength of cohesive soil

Unconfined compressive strength and tensile strength are important geotechnical characteristics whichare used for performance prediction and mix design in civil engineering projects. In recent years, theuse of waste materials as reinforcement elements such as glass, rubber and plastic waste increasedsignificantly. Nowadays, the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has grown substantially for drinkbottles which is one of the most important environmental hazards. In the current study, the effect ofadding PET strips as reinforcement elements to a clayey soil has been studied by unconfinedcompressive strength and tensile strength tests. The compressive and tensile strengths of reinforcedspecimens with different PET contents (0%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8% and 1% by the soil weight), lengths (12mm to 21 mm) and widths (3 mm and 6 mm) have been investigated. It was found that addition of thePET strips to the clay resulted in an increase in both the compressive and tensile strengths. The optimumPET content was dependent on the both width and length of the PET strips. The maximum UCS was321 kPa which observed in the specimen containing 0.8 % PET strips with 3 mm width and 18 mmlength. The maximum tensile strength was 33 kPa which observed in the specimen containing 0.6 % ofPET strips with 6 mm width and 15 mm length. The reinforced specimens containing I-shape PETelements exhibited a higher UCS value than that of the reinforced specimens with PET strips in mostcases which is may be due to increase of friction between the soil particles and the PET elements.

Complete Decomposition of 2-Propanol Using TiO2 Immobilized on a Nonwoven Fabric Under UV Light Irradiation by Adding H2O2 and O3 Microbubbles

The degradation and mineralization of 2-propanol (IPA) in an aqueous solution were investigated using a TiO2 photocatalyst immobilized on a nonwoven fabric, both in the presence and absence of O3 microbubbles and H2O2. The influence of parameters like the H2O2/O3 molar ratio and the type of ultraviolet (UV) lamp used on the IPA degradation reaction was investigated. The main active species in IPA degradation and mineralization are thought to be hydroxyl radicals, generated as a consequence of the H2O2–O3 (peroxone) reaction, the photolysis of H2O2 and O3, and the TiO2-based photocatalytic reaction. The fastest IPA degradation rate was obtained under UV irradiation in the presence of H2O2, O3, and TiO2 immobilized on a nonwoven fabric. Because under these conditions sufficient UV light is irradiated on the catalyst surface, we found that the optimum ratio for the peroxone reaction between O3 and H2O2 did not change in our reaction system, even in the presence of the TiO2 immobilized nonwoven fabric. This means that the UV light contributes effectively to the photocatalytic reaction without interfering with the peroxone process, and that the photocatalyst does not only promote the decomposition of IPA but also the mineralization of the degradation products. We explored the influence of the base material used to manufacture the nonwoven fabric on the mineralization rate and found that the use of polyethylene terephthalate (instead of polyolefin fibers) to prepare the nonwoven fabric substantially accelerated the rates of the IPA, acetone, and total organic carbon decomposition reactions.

Assessment of Bacterial Load in Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Bottled Water Marketed in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

In recent years, we are having mixed feelings regarding the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles for storing water. The aim of this study is to determine any associations between bacterial load and the physical condition of the water bottle. For this study, bottled water was purchased, and parameters like pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), heterotrophic plate count (HPC), total coliform count, and Pseudomonas spp. count were determined as per the American Public Health Association, 2005. The pH value of water samples tested ranged from 5.2 to 6.8. The majority of samples (96%) were found to contain pH values that were unacceptable as per the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) guideline. Value of electrical conductivity (EC) ranged from 5 to 199 μS/cm. HPC revealed that, out of 100 samples, 48 (48%) samples were found to be acceptable as per the DFTQC guideline value (<25 cfu/mL). Among 100 samples, Pseudomonas spp. was found to be present in 23% of bottled water. Acidic pH and elevated concentrations of TDS and EC may lead to the survival of extremophiles present in HPC which may lead to degradation of PET. Extremophile bacteria that survive in bottled water for a long time rely on several survival mechanisms including evolutionary development (evo-devo) and solely survive on complex polymers like PET.

Sub- and supercritical water for chemical recycling of polyethylene terephthalate waste

As a consequence of the widespread use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), huge amounts of PET waste are generated annually, and thus a critical point of waste management strategy is to reduce these amounts. This study presents the chemical recycling of PET waste using sub- and supercritical water (SubCW and SCW). Two types of PET waste were chosen to study hydrolytic depolymerization: colorless and colored bottles. The experiments were carried out in a batch reactor at temperatures from 250 to 400 °C, with reaction period of 1–30 min. During the hydrolysis of PET waste, primary and secondary products were formed. The highest yield of terephthalic acid (TPA) was identified at 300 °C and a reaction period of 30 min; 90.0 ± 0.4% yield was observed from colorless PET waste and 85.0 ± 0.2% from green PET waste. The purity of final TPA obtained from PET waste was near 100%. The formation of secondary products such as benzoic acid, 1,4-dioxane, acetaldehyde, isophthalic acid (IPA) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were detected.

Large Scale Direct Shear Experiments to Study Monotonic and Cyclic Behavior of Sand Treated By Polyethylene Terephthalate Strips

The continuously increasing production of plastics in the last few decades has taken a heavy toll on the environment. Soil reinforcement with the use of randomly distributed fibers, plastics and glass has recently received a lot of attention. The use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) strips as soil reinforcement has been observed to result in the increase in the shear strength. In this paper, the monotonic, cyclic, and post-cyclic properties of sand reinforced with different contents and aspect ratios of PET strips are investigated by carrying out a set of monotonic and cyclic direct shear tests. Accordingly, the influence of various parameters on the direct shear response of sand-PET mixture is examined. Results show that in the monotonic tests, for mixtures containing 0%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% PET with AR = 1, the peak friction angle is 37.5°, 41.8°, 42.7°, and 44.6°, repectively, while these values increase to 41.8°, 45.4°, 48.2°, and 50.4°, respectively, for post-cyclic monotonic tests. In addition, in the monotonic tests, for mixtures containing 0.5%, 0.75% and 1% PET with AR = 5, the peak friction angle is 48.8°, 52.2°, 54.0°, respectively, while these values increase to 50.9°, 54.8°, 55.9°, respectively, for post-cyclic monotonic tests. Results clearly imply that normal stress and cyclic shear strain amplitude contribute jointly to the contractive behavior of the reinforced mixtures. Moreover, the hardening behavior becomes less eminent when the sand is reinforced with PET strips due to the resistance mobilized against particle rearrangement. The post-cyclic shear strength of the PET-sand mixture is higher than their monotonic strength due to the densification occurring during the cyclic loading. In summary, the favorable impact of PET inclusion on the monotonic and cyclic performance of granular materials is deduced.

Functionalized PET Waste Based Low-Cost Adsorbents for Adsorptive Removal of Cu(II) Ions from Aqueous Media

The widespread use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in the packaging industry has led to the discharge of huge amounts of such waste into the environment and is an important source of pollution. Moreover, because the degradation of PET waste requires a very long time (over 180 years), the recycling of this waste is the only solution to reduce environmental pollution in this case. The solution proposed in this study, is the transformation of PET waste into granular adsorbent materials by functionalization with different phenolic compounds (phenol, p-chlor-phenol, and hydroxyquinone), and then their use as adsorbent materials for removing metal ions (ex. Cu(II) ions) from aqueous solutions. The functionalization of PET waste was done with different amounts (2–8 g) of each phenolic compound. The adsorption capacity of obtained materials was tested at different initial Cu(II) ions concentrations, in batch systems, at room temperature (20 ± 1 °C). The experimental results have shown that the adsorbent material obtained by the functionalization of PET waste with 8 g of phenol has the best adsorptive performances (q = 12.80 mg g−1) at low initial concentrations of Cu(II) ions, while the adsorbent material obtained by the functionalization of PET waste with 2 g of hydroxyquinone is more efficient in removal of high concentrations of Cu(II) ions (q = 61.73 mg g−1). The experimental isotherms were modeled using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, to highlight the adsorptive performances of these new adsorbents and their potential applicability in environmental decontamination processes.

Use of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Flakes as Coarse Aggregates Replacement in Concrete Paving Blocks

Concrete paving blocks were first introduced in Holland to replace paver bricks which had become scarce due to the post-war building construction boom. In Kenya, paving blocks are used in construction of pavements in both residential and commercial areas. They can be used in areas with light or heavy traffic. Solid waste management has been a big challenge in Kenya for years. With growing population and demand for housing, it is of paramount importance to develop alternative uses of plastic waste. Concrete paving blocks containing PET flakes at 5%, 10%, 15%,25%,50%, 75% and 100% replacement ratios for coarse aggregates were prepared against a 30MPa control sample. Compressive strength, tensile strength and water absorption tests were carried out. at 5% replacement ratio, the paving blocks had compressive strength of 44.18MPa which is suitable for medium traffic areas

Utilization of Plastic Bottles Waste in Asphalt Concrete Mixture

This paper deals with the innovation of road construction materials by the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as asphalt mixtures. The PET was obtained from plastic bottles waste. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of the PET on Marshall parameters on asphalt concrete pavement. The wet method is used in this research. It means that PET plastic material is directly mixed into asphalt when the asphalt is heated, then aggregates are added. In this research, asphalt with penetration of 60/70 is used. Its optimum asphalt content (OAC) is 5.7 percent while The percentages of the added PET are 3 percent, 4 percent, 5 percent, 6 percent, and 7 percent of the asphalt by weight. The results show that the addition of PET plastic waste into the mixture has a significant positive effect on the Marshall parameters of asphalt concrete pavement. The addition of PET waste has been able to increase the value of other Marshall parameters, including Voids in Mix (VIM), Voids in Mineral Aggregates (VMA), Voids Filled with Asphalt (VFA), Flow, and Marshall Quotient (MQ). This research result will contribute to a significant outcome in emerging a sustainable material for road infrastructure.

DIFFERENT PACKAGES IN THE POST-HARVEST QUALITY OF STRAWBERRY (cv. Camarosa)

The method and temperature of storage of a product are the basic agents that make it possible to prolong the post-harvest life of strawberries. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the use of different packages with the passive modified atmosphere in the post-harvest quality of strawberry (cv. Camarosa). The strawberries were harvested and subsequently transported to the Laboratory of Drying and Post-harvest Storage of Agricultural Products, where they were stored in BOD, at 0ºC, and 90±5% relative air humidity. A completely randomized design was used, in a 3 x 5 factorial scheme (three packages: expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging + polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film at 0 °C; polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packaging at 0 °C; and without packaging at 0 °C (control) x five analysis: at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 days of storage), with four replications per day for each treatment. Averages were compared by Tukey test at 5% probability. The variables, fresh mass loss, pulp firmness, pH, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA) and SS/TA ratio were analyzed. The tested packages had better results when compared to the control treatment. The use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) packages at 0ºC had a less fresh mass loss during storage days, lower acidity reduction, and no significant decrease in pulp firmness.

Silicate-substituted strontium apatite nano coating improves osteogenesis around artificial ligament

BackgroundTreatment of anterior cruciate ligament injuries commonly involves the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) artificial ligaments for reconstruction. However, the currently available methods require long fixation periods, thereby necessitating the development of alternative methods to accelerate the healing process between tendons and bones. Thus, we developed and evaluated a novel technique that utilizes silicate-substituted strontium (SrSiP).MethodsPET films, nano-coated with SrSiP, were prepared. Bone marrow mesenchymal cells (BMSCs) from femurs of male rats were cultured and seeded at a density of 1.0 × 104/cm2 onto the SrSiP-coated and non-coated PET film, and subsequently placed in an osteogenic medium. The osteocalcin concentration secreted into the medium was compared in each case. Next, PET artificial ligament, nano-coated with SrSiP, were prepared. BMSCs were seeded at a density of 4.5 × 105/cm2 onto the SrSiP-coated, and non-coated artificial ligament, and then placed in osteogenic medium. The osteocalcin and calcium concentrations in the culture medium were measured on the 8th, 10th, 12th, and 14th day of culture. Furthermore, mRNA expression of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) was evaluated by qPCR. We transplanted the SrSiP-coated and non-coated artificial ligament to the tibiae of mature New Zealand white rabbits. Two months later, we sacrificed them and histologically evaluated them.ResultsThe secretory osteocalcin concentration in the medium on the film was significantly higher for the SrSiP group than for the non-coated group. Secretory osteocalcin concentration in the medium on the artificial ligament was also significantly higher in the SrSiP group than in the non-coated group on the 14th day. Calcium concentration on the artificial ligament was significantly lower in the SrSiP group than in the non-coated group on the 8th, 10th, 12th, and 14th day. In qPCR as well, OC, ALP, BMP2, and Runx2 mRNA expression were significantly higher in the SrSiP group than in the non-coated group. Newly formed bone was histologically found around the artificial ligament in the SrSiP group.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that artificial ligaments using SrSiP display high osteogenic potential and thus may be efficiently used in future clinical applications.

The Use of Polyethylene Terephthalate Waste for Modifying Asphalt Concrete Using the Marshall Test

Abstract This study considers the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste for modifying asphalt concrete. In the study, the optimum bitumen content of asphalt concrete was replaced with 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%, 12%, 14% and 16% of PET waste; the Marshall test was conducted on the samples. A comparison of the unmodified and PET-modified asphalt concrete showed that the stability of the modified asphalt concrete was reduced. The maximum stability for the PET waste-modified asphalt concrete was recorded at a content of 12% PET waste. This gives about a 20.4% reduction in stability. The study reveals that the addition of PET waste to the asphalt concrete causes a reduction in the flow value except with the addition of 14% and 16 % waste. This implies that the introduction of PET waste could improve the permanent deformation resistance of asphalt, although there is concern about a reduction in fatigue resistance.

A Review On The Use Of Polyethylene Terephthalate (Pet) As Aggregates In Concrete

ABSTRACT Massive amount of plastic and polymer products are being produced worldwide on a daily basis. Most of these are intended to be recycled, but the reality is quite different. Statistics show that the percentage of recyclable plastic and polymer products that are actually recycled is very insignificant. These plastic products are mostly non-biodegradable. As a result, they persist in the environment as potential pollutants. Hence there have been countless attempts to reuse these plastic products through versatile applications. This paper attempts to compile the studies which explored the reusability of plastic products in structural concrete. The principal focus will be on use of recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) in structural concrete in various forms. This study concludes that incorporating PET as a supplementary material in different forms has both beneficial and harmful impacts on various fresh and hardened properties of concretes and thus should be considered for comprehensive investigation. Keywords: PET; fresh concrete; concrete composites; supplementary materials; sustainable building material.

Improving the properties of waste plastic lightweight aggregates-based composite mortars in an experimental saline environment

The present work aims to highlight the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste for the conception of a new PET-siliceous sand composite material (WPLA) to be used, after heat treatment, as a light aggregate in various screed mortars. This composite is intended to be employed as a substitute for conventional aggregate at the rates of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% by weight. Reinforcement corrosion, caused by the attack of chloride ions, is the main reason for the deterioration of reinforced concrete structures around the world. To determine the effects of waste PET as a lightweight aggregate (WPLA), five WPLAX composite mortar formulations were immersed into a 5% NaCl solution. The mechanical strength, absorption of water by capillary suction, and chlorine ion penetration into mortars were all studied. Additional information on the microstructure of the materials was also collected. The results obtained indicated a decrease in the compressive strength of WPLAX. Moreover, Fick’s second law made it possible to observe a decrease in the penetration of chlorine ions, ranging from 40 to 90% in WPLAX mortars as the replacement ratio increased. Likewise, it was found that the sorptivity coefficients of WPLAX mortars decreased from 43 to 65% as compared to that of reference mortar. These encouraging results open up new prospects for using these composite materials as protective mortars for reinforced concrete structures. At the same time, it is one way of getting rid of these PET plastic wastes which represent a serious pollution form to the environment and a real threat to human health.