%0 Journal Article
%T Effects of polyester fibers and gamma irradiation on mechanical properties of polymer concrete containing CaCO3 and silica sand
%J eXPRESS Polymer Letters
%D 2009
%I Budapest University of Technology
%R 10.3144/expresspolymlett.2009.77
%X While mineral concretes belong to the oldest composites used by mankind, in an increasing number of applications their compression strength ¦Òc and compressive strain at yield point ¦ÅY are insufficient. Better results can be achieved with polymer concretes (PCs). We use a polymer concrete (PC): an unsaturated polyester resin as the matrix, CaCO3 and silica sand. Moreover, we have applied two further methods to improve its mechanical properties: reinforcement with polyester fibers and gamma irradiation with a 60Co source. A non-irradiated PC with 5 wt% CaCO3 has ¦Òc = 74 MPa, an irradiated sample with optimized CaCO3 contents 122 MPa. Scanning electron micrographs show that irradiation increases the interface areas between the fibers and the matrix. Improvements from 47 to 176% in ¦ÅY values are achieved with respect to the conventional PC without fibers, non-irradiated and containing only one mineral component.
%K Polymer composites
%K reinforcements
%K polymer concrete
%K gamma irradiation
%U http://www.expresspolymlett.com/letolt.php?file=EPL-0000981&mi=cd