New Polymer Biocomposites Based on Biopoly(Ethylene Terephthalate) and Waste Mollusc Shells

Abstract

Currently, scientific studies have are focusing on environmentally friendly solutions, such as the effective use of waste in new green polymeric materials according to circular economy. Waste valorization is the main driving force for upcoming academic research. In this study, the impact of mussel particle size on reinforced biopoly(terphtalate ethylene) (bPET) is investigated. The waste filler was modified using NaOH. The filler content was 10 wt% and the same for all samples. The strength properties of the materials were determined in static tensile, bending and impact tests. The wetting angle was also analyzed for the obtained biocomposites. A low-cycle dynamic test was carried out to determine changes in dissipation energy and to observe the development of relaxation processes. This present study proves that preparation of new biocomposites based on waste mussels is an effective option in waste management.