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Utilizing Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) In Insulation Fired Clay Bricks
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Researchers investigated substituting polystyrene with recycled PET from drinking water bottles in fired clay brick manufacturing, testing up to 25% inclusion levels. They found that 20% crushed PET by weight produced bricks meeting ASTM C155-97 standards for thermal insulation and mechanical properties.
In order to improve the thermal insulation properties of fired clay bricks, the addition of polystyrene has been a common practice. However, in this study, we propose an alternative approach by substituting polystyrene with recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) derived from drinking water bottles. The PET is shredded and added to the brick composition, with a maximum inclusion level of 25%. Various tests were conducted to evaluate water absorption, apparent porosity, bulk density, cold crushing strength, and thermal conductivity of the bricks at temperatures up to 800 degrees Celsius. The results indicate that incorporating 20% crushed plastic by weight yields bricks comparable to ASTM C155-97 standard bricks.
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Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.