Background and Objective: In the present era, technological advancement depends on the progress made in the field of materials. The production of composites is a significant step towards the evolution of engineering materials. By physically combining two or more materials, not only is a lighter and stronger material obtained, but it also replaces traditional materials. This research aims to compare the mechanical and physical strength of composites coated with glass beads (small glass beads) and shells, with each other, and to select the best sample with lighter specific weight, better strength, and easier installation for building facades.
Materials and Methods: The samples were prepared using materials such as beech wood flour, E-grade glass fibers, ortho unsaturated polyester resin matrix, montmorillonite K10 nanoclay, MEPK, 10% cobalt as a constant factor, Caspian Sea rolling shell (Cerastoderma glaucum), and glass beads as a variable factor, using the hand lay-up method. Variable percentages of glass beads and shells, or a combination of both, were used on the composite as a gel coat. Fifteen composite blocks with dimensions of 0.2*0.3*0.007 cubic meters were prepared. The excess edges were then sanded. The blocks were placed in an oven at 120 degrees for 2 hours, and after cooling, they were weighed and their dimensions measured. They were cut to the required sizes, and necessary tests to measure physical and mechanical properties such as water absorption, thickness swelling, bending, tension, impact, and abrasion were conducted on the samples based on ASTM standards with three repetitions. Finally, the specific weight was compared according to national building regulations. For data analysis, the SAS9.6 method was used. The validity and reliability of the test were calculated with 99% accuracy based on the test data and reported as an analysis of variance table using SAS software
.Results: The findings of this research showed that the initial composite coating made from a combination of nanoclay, beech wood flour, glass fibers, and resin with 30% glass beads increased the composite’s impact resistance. The more glass beads were added to the coating, the higher the impact resistance of the composite. With a 30% coating of Caspian Sea rolling shell on the composite surface, the composite’s resistance to bending and tension increased compared to the control sample. The abrasion rate in composites prepared with 30% glass beads and 30% shell was lower after 200 cycles of abrasion compared to other samples. The thickness swelling rate after 48 hours of immersion in water was zero. Although the water absorption rate in the samples was very low, it can be said that samples with a higher amount of shell had higher water absorption compared to the control sample. The dimensions of the samples were 0.007*0.2*0.3 cubic meters with a specific weight of 1211.9 kg/m³. The highest specific weight in the treatments was related to the sample treated with a 30% glass bead layer coded G180SH0 (p=1240 kg/m³), and the lowest specific weight was related to the untreated control sample coded G0SH0 (p=1192 kg/m³). Meanwhile, the lowest specific weight of stone used for building facades belongs to quartz (p=2000 kg/m³).
Conclusion: Overall, it can be said that the composite prepared with a 30% glass bead coating has better quality in terms of abrasion, impact resistance, strength, and non-water absorption compared to other samples. From the relative comparison of the specific weight of the samples, it can also be inferred that with an increase in specific weight, the resistance to impact and bending increases, as seen in the G180SH0 sample. Ultimately, the research objective of preparing a strong and lightweight composite for building facade applications was achieved.
Keywords: Nanocomposite, Hand Lay-Up, Glass Bead, Shellfish, Glass Fiber |