Properties of plastic mortar made with recycled polyethylene terephthalate

This paper studied the mechanical properties and durability of plastic mortar made with recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). The effects of gradation and admixtures, including bitumen, fly ash, and nano-calcium carbonate, on strength were investigated. The temperature stability was studied based on the compressive strength at different temperatures. The water absorption and sulfate corrosion resistance were conducted to evaluate the durability. The microstructure of the plastic mortar was observed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The test results show that increasing the content of fine particles could first increase and then decrease the strength. Partially replacing PET with bitumen and/or fly ash could significantly influence the strength. But the nano-calcium carbonate had no significant effect on strength. The plastic mortar had high stability as temperature changed from 30 to 90 °C. The strength was similar for specimens under different testing temperatures. The plastic mortar had very low water absorption and high sulfate corrosion resistance. The SEM results revealed that the PET and aggregates were bonded well.