Unsaturated Polyester Composite Filled Clam Shells (Anadara granosa): Effect of Tensile Strength, Elongation Break and Water Absorption

Abstract

The composite materials is growing rapidly in the automotive and constructive industries, especially those composites which consist of unsaturated polyester resin matrices. It has low viscosity and hardness at room temperature when a catalyst is added. Polyester resins have rigid and slightly brittle properties, more thermal resistance to heat, flexible insulation properties, and adhesion chemical resistance, which are easy to process, molding and affordability [1]. To improve the mechanical properties of polyester resin, fillers are added. Fillers of polyester resin composites are usually fibers glass, because of compatibility between the matrix properties and fillers [2]. Natural fillers and compounds of fiber glass with natural fillers [3] are tends for polyester composites produced to have good mechanical properties. Research on unsaturated polyester resin filled with natural ingredients has been carried out, using clam shells [4], lontar fruit fibers [5], eggshell powder [6], snail skin powder [7] and CaCO3 [8]. In this study the fillers used are clam shells. Utilization of clam shells research in Indonesia is not optimal because it is used as a craft or decorative art. Clam shells contains calcium carbonate compounds of 94-99 % (total overall weight of shell) [9-13] carbonate groups (CO3 2−), 0.51 % magnesium