Collagen based bio-additives in polymer composites

Introduction. Polymer composite materials (PCM) based on epoxy resins are widely used in the construction industry. They are applied in construction of bridge spans, roadway slabs, footwalk planks, in low-loaded structures, as well as for reinforcement of concrete structures, sheating, strengthening of metal and concrete structures. Various fillers of micro- and nanosizes are used to improve the performance properties of PCM. Interfacial interaction between the filler and the polymer matrix plays an important role in determining the strength of the created composite materials. Methods and materials. The article studies the properties of polymer matrix composites reinforced with collagen based bio-additives obtained from solid organic waste of the leather industry. We have developed a fundamentally new method for obtaining a bioactive collagen product at a relatively low price, described in patent RU No. 2272808. Tensile studies of the PCM samples were carried out by adding dry collagen powder to an epoxy binder. We analyzed the sections of samples made on a JSM-6510LVJEOL scanning electron microscope, and studied the changes in the structure of PCM with fillers. Results and discussion. When 1% collagen is added to the PCM matrix, the amount of chemical elements is increasing: carbon (C) by 2.93%, oxygen (O) by 1.61%, magnesium (Mg) by 0.11%. And the number of micropores on the surface of the matrix, which serve as a stress concentrator, is decreasing by 4.9%, and they are also diminishing in size. The tensile tests have shown that when 1% collagen is added to the PCM matrix, the bearing capacity of the samples is increasing by 15.57%. The results obtained can contribute to the expansion of collagen application, waste reduction in the leather industry due to recycling. Conclusion. A fundamentally new method has been developed for obtaining a bioactive collagen product from solid organic waste of the leather industry at a relatively low price. It has been established that a bioactive collagen product in a powder form has a low cost and can be used as a bio-additive for PCM.