Short glass fiber reinforced polymer concrete with addition of waste cathode-ray tube (CRT) glass

Abstract

This paper describes the use of CRT glass waste for the production of polymer concrete. The CRT glass was subjected to a multistage mechanical disintegration process, in a way that allowed obtaining grains smaller than 2 mm. A set of hybrid reinforced polymer concrete was produced by using: ground CRT glass, sand and cut glass fibers 4.5 mm and 12 mm long. The influence of the volume of fibers and the length of glass fibers on the properties of polymer concrete with 30% by volume of epoxy resin, acting as a binder was described. Tests of CRT glass were carried out, among others study of chemical composition, particle size distribution and analysis of grain morphology. For polymer concrete, the flexural strength and compressive strength were determined, and the open porosity, apparent density, and water absorption were examined. The test results showed that polymer concrete with the use of milled CRT glass is a good way to manage this problematic waste. The polymer concrete has several times better than traditional concretes and significantly lower porosity and water absorption, which makes this material advantageous in applications such as the production of thin-walled products and products exposed to water and chemical attack. The addition of chopped glass fibers leads to an increase in mechanical properties and also protects the material against rapid disintegration after exceeding the maximum tresses, which is extremely important for the safety of use of the structure in the event of a failure.