1. Developing polymer composites using
waste and recycled materials
Name: Amit Kumar Rana
Matriculation number: 40135619
Supervisor: Dr. Mike Barker

2. Research
• Blending three (epoxy resin, recycled rubber particles and powdered glass
fibre) non-compatible materials into a homogenous mixture
• Investigating the potential filler
• Developing the formulation which could exhibit the required properties
according to the British Standard BS EN 124-1994.

3. BS EN 124-1994
Group 1
min class
A15
Group 2
min. class
B125
Group 3
min. class
C250
Group 4
min. class
D400
Group 5
min. class
E600
Group 6
class F 900
Pedestrians
and pedal
cyclists.
Footways,
pedestrian
areas, car
parks or car
parking
decks.
In the area of
kerbside
channels of
roads.
Carriageways
of roads
Docks and
aircraft
pavements.
aircraft
pavements

4. Materials
• Epoxy resin (bisphenol-A-epichlorhydrin)
• Slow hardener
• Recycled Rubber crumb (2mesh, 6mesh, 8mesh, 12mesh, 16mesh)
• Coupling agents (vinyltrimethoxysilane)
• Recycled Glass Fibre (18mm (shredded) to 1700microns (M10) to
375microns (M40) )

5. Description of the Formulations used
Epoxy Resin
(g)
Slow Hardener
(g)
Rubber
(g)
Vinyltrimethoxysilane
(g)
Glass fibre
(g)
Formulation 1 45.8 10 3 (8 mesh) 1.2 0
Formulation 2 45.9 10.1 0 0 14
Formulation 3 53.4 11.7 3.5 (16 mesh) 1.4 0
Formulation 4 41.9 9.2 3.5 (16 mesh) 1.4 14
Formulation 5 50.5 11.1 3.5 (16 mesh) 1.4 3.5
Formulation 6 47.6 10.5 3.5 (16 mesh) 1.4 7
Formulation 7 36.2 8.0 3.5 (16 mesh) 1.4 21
Formulation 8 33.3 7.3 7 (16 mesh) 1.4 21
Formulation 9 30.4 6.7 10.5 (16 mesh) 1.4 21
Formulation 10 30.4 6.7 14 (16 mesh) 1.4 17.5

6. Variables
Controlled
variables
• The
percentage of
coupling
agent was
constant at
2%wt.
• Temperature
Independent
variable
• Recycled
rubber crumb
content
• Glass fibre
content
Dependent
variable
• Mechanical
properties
• Tensile test,
Charpy
Impact test,
3-point bend
test

7. Procedure
Preparation
of mixture
according to
the
formulation
Step 1
Poured
mixture into
the moulds
Step 2
Preparation
and testing of
Test samples
Step 3
Analyse
Results
Step 4

8. Tensile Test Results
Material
composites
Tensile
modulus
MPa
Tensile
strength
MPa
Elongation at T.S.
%
Stress at
break
MPa
Strain at
break
%
Epoxy 711 52.5 9.9 40.8 11.8
Epoxy+5%R 296 21.2 8.9 15.1 11.0
Epoxy+5%R+5%GF 499 25.5 5.9 24.9 5.9
Epoxy+5%R+10%GF 383 19.7 4.8 19.6 4.8
Epoxy+5%R+20%GF 273 13.9 7.8 11.8 13.1
Epoxy+5%R+30%GF+hf 303 13.1 4.5 12.8 4.5
Epoxy+5%R+30%GF+ho 468 13.5 3.1 13.2 3.1
Epoxy+10%R+30%GF+C
M
625 21.3 3.8 21.2 3.8
Epoxy+15%R+30%GF+C
M
546 17.3 3.9 17.2 3.9
Epoxy+20%R+25%GF+C
M
393 15.6 4.4 15.2 4.4
Epoxy+15%R 242 13.4 7.0 12.2 7.6

9. Tensile test 1
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
TENSILEMODULUS(MPa)
TENSILE TEST RESULT

10. Tensile test 2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
TENSILESTRENGTH(MPa)
TENSILE TEST RESULT

11. Tensile test 3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
STRESSATBREAK(MPa)
TENSILE TEST RESULT

12. Charpy Impact Test Results
Material composite I.R.
KJ/m2
Epoxy 6.97
Epoxy+5%R 3.03
Epoxy+5%R+5%GF 1.53
Epoxy+5%R+10%GF 1.73
Epoxy+5%R+30%GF+hf 1.8
Epoxy+5%R+30%GF+ho 1.55
Epoxy+10%R+30%GF+CM 5.18
Epoxy+15%R+30%GF+CM 50.45
Epoxy+20%R+25%GF+CM 217.83
Epoxy+15%R 241.57

13. Charpy Impact Test
6.97 3.03 1.53 1.73 1.8 1.55 5.18
50.45
217.83
241.57
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
IMPACTRESISTANCE(KJ/m2)
CHARPY IMPACT TEST RESULT

14. 3-point Bend Test Results
Material compostites
Fmax
N
dL at Fmax
mm
Fbreak
N
dL at break
mm
flexural stress
KN/mm2 maximum strain
Epoxy 153 6.97 124.45 10.09 12.80821 0.09679
Epoxy+5%R 110.56 6.03 109.63 6.4 10.9796 0.086298
Epoxy+5%R+5%GF 108 8 106 8.3 7.819779 0.131836
Epoxy+5%R+10%GF 49.2 10.5 47.7 11.9 11.45259 0.166421
Epoxy+5%R+30%GF+hf 66.3 5 63.7 5.1 8.292931 0.077051
Epoxy+5%R+30%GF+ho 43.6 4 42.2 4.1 10.09084 0.061699
Epoxy+10%R+30%GF+CM 62.23 3.13 61.78 3.18 12.14531 0.045575
Epoxy+15%R+30%GF+CM 58.07 2.93 58.02 2.95 12.70476 0.041976
Epoxy+20%R+25%GF+CM 66.67 3.43 65.02 3.48 9.865879 0.054867
Epoxy+15%R 86.03 6.16 17.28 12.79 8.370659 0.098626

15. 3-point Bend Test 1
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
FMAX(N)
3-POINT BEND TEST RESULT

16. 3-point Bend Test 2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
FLEXURALSTRESS(KN/mm2)
3-POINT BEND TEST RESULT

17. Conclusion
• For improved mechanical behaviour the size of rubber particles is very
important; because large size particles do not disperse and distribute
very well as small size particles do.
• Increasing glass fibre content increases the brittleness of epoxy matrix
causing drastically decreases in mechanical properties but there is a
need to incorporate glass fibre into the epoxy because presence of
rubber particles makes epoxy matrix very flexible having low tensile
properties. Therefore, a considerable amount of both rubber and glass
fibre need to add to obtain desired properties.

18. Recommendations
• Optimal temperature around 40oC should be maintained and
compression moulding machine need to be used to high density
product.
• Observe the different cracked sample surfaces under optical
microscope.
• Prepare a prototype and study the mechanical properties of the
prepared prototype in real life scenarios.

19. Thank You