Panels Produced from Thermoplastic Composites Reinforced with Peach Palm Fibers for Use in the Civil Construction and Furniture Industry

In order to cooperate in minimizing the problems of the current and growing volume of waste, this work aim at the production of panels made from industrial waste -thermoplastic (polypropylene; polyethylene and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) reinforced with agro-industrial waste - peach palm waste (shells and sheaths). The properties of the panels like density, thickness swelling, water absorption and moisture content were evaluated using the ASTM D1037; EN 317; and ANSI A208.1 standards regarding particle boards. Good results were obtained with formulations of 100% plastic waste; 70% waste plastics and 30% peach palm waste; and 60% waste plastics and 40% peach palm waste.

Alternatives Panels from Waste Plastics Reinforced With Fibers of Pupunha Palm for Use in Civil Construction and Furniture Industry

In order to cooperate in minimizing the problems of the current and growing volume of waste, this work aims at the production of panels made from industrial waste -thermoplastic (Polypropylene - PP; Polyethylene - PE and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene - ABS) reinforced with agro-industrial waste - pupunha palm waste (shells and sheaths). The properties of the panels were evaluated: density, thickness swelling, water absorption and moisture content. It was used the ASTM D1037; EN 317; and ANSI A208.1 standards regarding particle boards. The best results in physical tests were treatments 1 (100% waste plastic), 6 (60% plastic waste and 40% waste of pupunha) and 7 (70% waste plastic and 30% waste of pupunha). The best results in the mechanical tests were treatments 3 (30% de residuos plasticos e 70% de residuos da pupunha), 4 (40% de residuos plasticos c 60% de residuos da pupunha) and 5 (50% de residuos plasticos e 50% de residuos da pupunha). For mechanical tests it was concluded that the results of modulus of rupture and of modulus of elasticity the best treatments were those with more fibers. In the tensile tests perpendicular to the surface, it is clear that using more waste plastics leads to the best results. It was concluded that the waste can be used as raw material for the production of alternative materials mainly in civil construction and furniture industries, and it can be employed in urban or rural environment, given the concept of eco-efficient products.

Interdisciplinary project applied to engineering education: construction of a miniature ceramic industry

The greatest challenge of undergraduate engineering courses is to encourage creativity, cooperation with other students, teamwork, and motivation in the first years of their courses. While students have little or no contact with advanced disciplines, it is very difficult to attract their interests and encourage them to develop the skills in their undergraduate courses. This work aims to achieve these objectives through a mini-factory project involving the construction of a production line of ceramic tiles on a laboratory scale, from the ceramic processing using raw materials to the shipping of the final product. Having been given an established monthly demand for ceramic tiles, the students determined the construction requirements of the mini-factory, as they have created the layout, including the processing equipment, the dimensioning of equipment, and its operational structure. This article intends to describe the successful creation of the ceramic tile mini-factory, including the objectives, benefits, and inherent difficulties of the process and the receptivity of the exercise by the students involved.