Recycling of plastic waste into tiles with reduced flammability and improved tensile strength

Abstract This paper is focused on finding effective alternative for disposal of waste plastic bags by designing tiles with better mechanical strength, reduced flammability level, resistant against strong acids and bases and organic solvents, so that tiles can be used for designing structures for paver tiles for societal usage. In recent years the plastic consumption has increased manifolds leading to accumulation of plastic waste in large amount. Waste plastic bags being non-biodegradable and its extreme durability make its disposal process difficult. Plastic solid waste (PSW) present challenges and opportunities to the societies regardless of their technological advances and sustainability awareness. Traditional technologies for waste plastic disposal have failed to cope up with the increased generation of plastic waste. Also, the disposal of fly ash, waste by-product generated by combustion of coal in thermal power plants, is a serious problem both in terms of land use and environmental pollution. In this study, waste plastic matrix reinforced with fly ash (FA) and a flame retardant at different loadings (wt %) 5, 10, 15, 20 using twin screw extruder were molded into composite tiles and their characteristics were evaluated. Effect of different filler loading on waste plastic matrix was investigated. Composite (LFTP3) having appropriate ratios of fly ash and flame retardant showed reduced flammability with linear burning rate of 4.36 mm/minute and improved tensile strength of 9.68 MPa. Morphological and structural properties of all the composites were also investigated along with their flammability, resistance to different acids and bases and organic solvents, water absorption and mechanical strength.