IMPACT OF NANOCLAY ON FIRE RETARDANCY AND DURABILITY OF POST CONSUMER CARPET COMPOSITES

摘要

A simple vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process was previously used tornscale-up the fabrication of large-size composite specimens from recycled post-consumer wasterncarpet. These composites exhibited superior mechanical and sound absorption propertiesrncompared to other types of infrastructure materials such as wood, concrete and particleboard.rnThe process is simple and can be used with different resin types ranging in cost (polyurethane,rnpolyester, epoxy, and vinyl ester). Environmental degradation and fire retardancy of theserncomposites are potential limitations to their use as infrastructure materials. To enhance their firernretardancy and to protect against environmental degradation, the composites were coated withrnepoxy resin containing 4 % organoclay (I.28E) and also fabricated by VARTM infusion byrninfusing the carpet samples with epoxy resin containing 4 % nanoclay. Tests included firernretardancy tests using ASTM E1354 and exposure to moisture and alternating cycle of UV andrncondensation followed by mechanical testing. The fire retardancy and change in mechanicalrnproperties after UV/ moisture exposure of clay-epoxy-carpet composites were compared withrnbaseline samples of carpet composites infused only with epoxy. It was observed that nanoclayrncoated and clay-epoxy infused carpet composites improved fire retardancy and resistedrndegradation due to UV and environmental exposure, as evidenced by nearly consistentrnmechanical properties.