Physical and Mechanical Characterization of Artificial Stone with Marble Calcite Waste and Epoxy Resin

The incorporation of calcite marble waste in epoxy resin for the production of artificial stone can represent a technical-economical method and environmentally viable, reducing the amount of discarded residue in the environment, and adding economic value to marble waste and enabling the generation of jobs. The production of natural stone in Brazil recorded an exorbitant amount of waste generated in marble processing. Only 75% of marble taken from the deposits it becomes the finished product the rest is discarded. This study aimed to evaluate the mechanical and physical properties of produced artificial marble based in calcite marble waste and epoxy resin. The vacuum vibro compression was used for production as artificial marble and the specimens were cut according to standart NBR 15845. The results indicated that the artificial stones exhibit physical and mechanical results within the expected range for these kinds of materials. Artificial marble with a maximum flexural strength of 31,8 MPa, maximum compressive strength of 85,2 MPa, water absorption below 0.05% and a satisfactory adhesion between load and resin were obtained for the materials produced with 80% wt marble particles and 20% wt epoxy resin, enabling the development of an alternative material for civil construction applications.

将方解石大理石废料（calcite marble waste）掺入环氧树脂（epoxy resin）以制备人造石材，可成为一种兼具技术经济性与环境可行性的方法，既能减少环境中废弃残余物的总量，又能为大理石废料赋予经济附加值，同时创造就业岗位。巴西天然石材生产领域的大理石加工环节会产生极为庞大的废料量：从矿区开采的大理石仅75%可加工为成品，剩余部分均被废弃。本研究旨在评估以方解石大理石废料与环氧树脂制备的人造大理石的物理与力学性能。本次研究采用真空振动压缩成型法（vacuum vibro compression）制备人造石材试样，并依据巴西标准NBR 15845对试样进行切割。测试结果表明，所制备的人造石材的物理与力学性能均处于该类材料的预期性能区间内。当采用80%（质量分数）的大理石颗粒与20%（质量分数）的环氧树脂制备材料时，所制得的人造大理石抗弯强度最高可达31.8 MPa，抗压强度最高可达85.2 MPa，吸水率低于0.05%，且骨料与树脂间的粘结性能优异，可开发为土木工程建筑领域的替代材料。