Fly Ash-Based Polymer Matrix Composites

Abstract

One can consider plastics as nonrenewable materials, as many of the widely used ones are derived from petroleum and hold up to 95% of the market share. e ecacy of plastic consumption can be reduced in many cases by adding inexpensive llers, which contribute to the volume of the nal product, at the same time providing the adequate strength to the product for intended use. Another way of reducing the usage of plastics to a large extent is by adding nano/microsized reinforcements (sometimes referred to as llers) to the polymer matrix through which the several properties of the matrix can be controlled meticulously. By doing so, these materials can outperform the conventional pristine plastics with a lower consumption rate. For instance, addition of layered llers to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) improves the gas barrier properties and strength; therefore, the thickness of the PET bottles can be reduced to meet the barrier properties of the current requirements compared with the pure PET. © 2017 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.