Reciclagem do resíduo da produção de rochas ornamentais calcárias para uso como carga em matriz polimérica.

Abstract

The production of Pedra Cariri is one of the most important economic activity in the Cariri Region, southern of State of Ceara. However, the Pedra Cariri mining and processing generates large amounts of wastes. These wastes are indiscriminately discarded in the ecosystem causing damages to the environment. This dissertation aims to evaluate the potential of the mining and processing calcareous ornamental stone waste for use as filler in a polymer. The wastes were characterized by determination of particle size distribution using laser diffraction, chemical composition by X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction and differential and gravimetric thermal analysis. The wastes were incorporated in the EVA in an amount used by the factory pattern in this research. After incorporation, test samples were produced and their physicalmechanic properties determined: rupture tension, elongation and hardness. The EVA reticulation amount was also determined. Results showed that the waste are composed by calcite or calcite and dolomite and presented particle size distribution, after milling, similar to the distributions of commercial fillers used in EVA. Results indicated that the test samples containing waste and those produced with commercial material had similar mechanic properties, which point out the great potential of the use of Pedra Cariri waste as filler in EVA.