The present study was to evaluate the effect of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particle sizes on the mechanical and physical properties of extruded fiber-cement composites with different particle sizes combined to cellulose pulp in the production of fiber cement by the extrusion process. The design consisted of four formulations, one composed of 5% cellulose and the other three with 2.5% cellulosic pulp and 2.5% of PET particles with different particle sizes. Physical, mechanical and microstructural tests were performed without aging cycles and after 200 and 400 accelerated aging cycles. The degradation of vegetable fibers in the cement and the decrease of properties with aging was observed. PET particles were more resistant in alkaline environment and did not degrade. However, particle size did not exert great effect in the physical and mechanical properties of the composite. Thus, the use of PET particles shows potential as a reinforcement for fiber-cement composites.

RESUMO O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o efeito da inclusão laminar sobre as propriedades físicas e mecânicas de painéis aglomerados de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar. Foram utilizados painéis comerciais de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar produzidos na China. Para avaliar o efeito da inclusão laminar foram avaliadas duas espécies de madeira (Pinus e Eucalyptus) e duas pressões (10 e 15 kgf.cm-2), juntamente com um controle (sem inclusão laminar). Os painéis com inclusão laminar obtiveram melhorias nas propriedades físicas, com uma redução significativa na AA2h, AA24h e IE2h. Houve um aumento significativo nas propriedades MOE e MOR paralelo e dureza Janka, enquanto as propriedades MOE e MOR perpendicular diminuíram significativamente. A inclusão laminar de pinus e eucalipto resultou em resultados semelhantes quando adicionadas ao painel com uma pressão de 10 kgf.cm-2. O uso de pressão de 15 kgf.cm-2 não é indicado para a inclusão laminar de pinus em painéis de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar. Não houve efeito do nível de pressão ao avaliar a inclusão laminar de eucalipto nas propriedades dos painéis de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study is to assess the effect of the laminar inclusion on the physical and mechanical properties of sugarcane bagasse particleboard. We used the commercial panels of sugarcane bagasse produced in China. To evaluate the effect of the laminar inclusion was tested two wood species (Pinus and Eucalyptus) and two pressures (10 and 15 kgf.cm-2) along with a control (without laminar inclusion). The panels with laminar inclusion obtained improvements in the physical properties, with a significant reduction in the WA2h, WA24h and TS2h. There was a significant increase in the properties MOE and MOR parallel and Janka hardness, while the properties MOE and MOR perpendicular decreased significantly. The pinus and eucalyptus veneers inclusion resulted in similar results when added to the panel with a 10 kgf.cm-2 pressure. The use of 15 kgf.cm-2 pressure is not indicated for the pinus veneer inclusion in sugar cane bagasse panels. There was no effect of the pressure level when evaluating the eucalyptus veneer inclusion on the properties of the sugarcane bagasse panels.