The influence of metallurgical industry waste on the physical properties of composites based on polyester resin

The purpose of the research was to find an answer to whether the waste materials of the processes are suitable for use as fillers in composite materials and whether the composite materials will show better physical properties thanks to their use. Design/methodology/approach The materials produced based on polyester resin were subjected to static tensile tests, hardness tests, and abrasive wear tests. Findings The publication's authors investigated the influence of four inorganic fillers on the properties of composite materials in which a polyester resin played the matrix. Two fillers (zinc dust and manganese (II) oxide) were used as raw materials in metallurgical processes. Two other materials (zinc ash and manganese residue) were waste materials from the processes. Practical implications In the face of challenges related to the growing amount of waste from the food industry, joint materials engineering tries to answer whether this waste can be used in the production of composite materials. In several publications from recent years, it has been postulated that used food industry products can be used as fillers for composite materials, as they can, on the one hand, improve specific physicochemical properties of new materials and manage food waste. Originality/value The research showed that from among the waste materials, only zinc ash in the 2.5% mass fraction of the composite provides the highest abrasion resistance (over 50%) compared to the unmodified resin with slight changes in other physical properties.