The influence of granulation and content of polyester-glass waste on properties of composites

Glass fibre reinforced composites are used in many branches of industry. Polyester-glass laminates serve as structural material in shipbuilding (e.g. hulls of units, superstructures), in railways, automotive (e.g. elements of car bodies and interior fittings, roofs of wagons, cisterns) or aviation (e.g. aircraft fuselages, fuel tanks, completion beaks and ballasts). Factors affecting the increase of their use include low specific gravity, optimal strength properties, corrosion resistance. This is associated with a large amount of post-production and post-use waste. The recycling problem of these materials remains unresolved. The article presents the technology of processing polyester-glass waste in order to obtain a recycle with a specific granulation. The selected technology for the production of layered composites with reinforcement in the form of recycle is described. For testing, granulation was selected for 1.2 and 3 mm, as well as content: 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%. Using the water-cutting method, samples were prepared according to the standard static tensile test for plastics. The tests were carried out using a universal testing machine as well as an extensometer for samples with granulation of 1.2 mm and 3 mm, as well as the selected recycled percentage. Obtained results of the research indicated that granulation as well as content affects the strength properties of composites. As the granulation increases, at the same content, the material gains less deformation. The increase in the amount of the recycle reduces the strength properties of the material, and also due to the decrease in the deformation value - the material becomes brittle.