Abstract In this work, a ternary composite of epoxy filled with ND and MS was produced for abrasive applications. Surfactants (oleic acid (OA), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and Triton TX-100 (TX-100)) were used to improve the particle dispersion and, consequently, the composite properties. The elastic modulus increased up to 76% for the sample with 1 wt% ND and 5 wt% ND using TX-100 (1ND5MS-TX100). Regardless of the filler concentration, the particles did not modify the thermal degradation behavior of the epoxy. Thermogravimetric (TGA) and dynamic mechanical (DMA) analyses suggest a strong particle-matrix interface, also evidenced in scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs. The composites presented superior tribological performance. 1ND5MS-TX100 presented a wear rate of 2.19 x 10-3 mm3.Nm-1, 61.3% lower than the epoxy. Also, all composites significantly reduced the roughness of the marble, being proportional to the abrasives concentration. Overall, composites with TX-100 presented improved wear behavior.

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.

Compact artificial stones are widely used in buildings around the world, and the expected demand to the next years is increasing. In this study, stone fragments from marble processing are recycled as raw materials for produce compact artificial stones using compaction in a vacuum environment (100 mm Hg). Crushed marble waste (80 and 85%wt) are mixed with unsaturated polyester resin as binder. Materials were processed under compaction pressures of 1 and 10 MPa, for 20 minutes at 90 °C. Artificial marble with flexural ultimate strength of 25 MPa, water absorption below 0.2% and homogeneous particles distribution were obtained to materials produced with 80%wt of marble particles. To artificial marbles with 85%wt of particles, lower flexural ultimate strength and higher water absorption were observed (18 MPa and 0.4% respectively). In addition, the greater compaction pressure used improves slightly values obtained in 3 points bending test. Furthermore, tangent delta peaks at 115 °C were observed to evaluated artificial marbles.