Influência do resíduo de flotação de minério de cobre nas propriedades físicas e mecânicas de compósitos de matriz termofixa e fibras de bananeira (musa sapientum, musacae)

Abstract

Growing environmental concern has driven the development of alternative materials from renewable resources. The vegetable fibers have been used in various economic sectors to replace synthetic fibers. Vegetable fibers offer advantages such as low cost, are not toxic and low density. Hard particles are added the polymer to increase the modulus, increase the thermal conductivity of the composite as well as can increase toughness. This work has as objectives the mechanical analysis (tensile, flexural and impact), physical analysis (apparent density, porosity and water absorption), flame retardance analysis (flammability test) and morphological electron microscopy (scan) of the pure matrix, reinforced polymeric composite with flotation residue of copper ore, the polymeric composite reinforced with banana fibers and the hybrid polymeric composite reinforcement banana fibers and residue copper. The manufacture of the composites was performed by the manual process (hand lay-up) at room temperature, under pressure and using a standard metal mold. 10 specimens of the test piece for each fraction and the pure polymer matrix were manufactured. The polymer composites were manufactured by following its mass fractions: the fibers vary by 1%, 2% and 3%, the copper residue ranging in 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%, and the hybrid composite with 1% and 2% fiber with addition of 10% and 20% copper residue. The addition of the residue particles significantly increased the value of apparent density of the composite, in turn caused the decrease of the apparent porosity and water absorption. For the tensile tests the compound showed a significant better result was reinforced with 1% banana fiber with 38,50 MPa. Polymeric composites reinforced with 2% banana fiber, reinforced with 40% copper residue, and the hybrid composite with 2% fiber and 20% copper residue showed the best maximum flexural strain results with 156,03 MPa, 153,21 MPa and 198,16 MPa, respectively. And for the impact test, the composite that obtained the best results among the samples tested was the hybrid composite with 2% banana fiber and 20% copper residue with 21,26 kJ/m². The composites were not classified as flame retardant material, despite all they HB rating, they did not fit within the classification according to UL 94. The mechanical properties were evaluated from the tests carried out and the fractured surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy, in which the predominant mechanisms of failure in the composites that presented the best results were breaking of the fibers and for the fractions of 30% and 40% there was a better dispersion of the particles inside the matrix allowing the improvement of its properties.