**3.1. The matrix**

The mold, for obtaining the ornamental synthetic plates, is made of two separate modules, one of silicone rubber and one of fiber reinforced composite material. In **Figure 3** are presented the steps of mold forming.

Achieving the active part of the silicone rubber mold eliminates the need for additional separation planes, and the mold stiffness is ensured by reinforcing it with a fiber reinforced composite material. The use of matrix mold from the silicone elastomer eliminates additional separation planes reducing the cost of the mold.

The manufacturing process of the matrix, involves the following phases:


#### **3.2. The material**

The process of ornamental synthetic plates manufacturing consists in a mixing, in a recipient, of calcium carbonate with the polyester matrix 5 minutes, casting these materials into a modular mold made from silicone and reinforced by a fiber-reinforced composite material and maintaining at room temperature for 20 minutes until the matrix gel point has been reached, mixing in another recipient for 10 minutes of waste glass fiber ground with a polyester matrix and 0–0.3 mm sand, and molding it in the die over the initial molded material, holding molds in the die approx. 2 hours at 60°C, resulting an ornamental plate that is released from the mold after composite material polymerization. The material together with the unpolymerised matrix is deposited in a modular mold.

The manufacturing process of synthetic decorative plates involves the following phases:

**b.** preparing the first mixture consisting of 60% polyester matrix and 40% Calcium Carbonate

Recycling of Polymeric Composite Materials http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81281 109

**a.** preparing the mold and applying the first layer release agent,

, mixed approx. 5 minutes in a recipient,

CaCO3

**Figure 3.** Steps of mold forming.

The sand was used as a low-cost reinforcement material in the form of particles with transparent aspect. The morphological analysis of the sand is shown in **Figure 4**.

**Figure 3.** Steps of mold forming.

It shows the utilization of the glass fiber waste obtained by grinding the waste resulting from the manufacturing technological process of composite materials or removing them from their use and incorporating them in a product with applications in the field of industrial construc-

The mold, for obtaining the ornamental synthetic plates, is made of two separate modules, one of silicone rubber and one of fiber reinforced composite material. In **Figure 3** are pre-

Achieving the active part of the silicone rubber mold eliminates the need for additional separation planes, and the mold stiffness is ensured by reinforcing it with a fiber reinforced composite material. The use of matrix mold from the silicone elastomer eliminates additional

• realizing the composite structural element for the silicone mold, fiber glass/polyester

The process of ornamental synthetic plates manufacturing consists in a mixing, in a recipient, of calcium carbonate with the polyester matrix 5 minutes, casting these materials into a modular mold made from silicone and reinforced by a fiber-reinforced composite material and maintaining at room temperature for 20 minutes until the matrix gel point has been reached, mixing in another recipient for 10 minutes of waste glass fiber ground with a polyester matrix and 0–0.3 mm sand, and molding it in the die over the initial molded material, holding molds in the die approx. 2 hours at 60°C, resulting an ornamental plate that is released from the mold after composite material polymerization. The material together with the unpolymerised

The sand was used as a low-cost reinforcement material in the form of particles with transpar-

ent aspect. The morphological analysis of the sand is shown in **Figure 4**.

• demulation of the mold from fiber reinforced composite material, **Figure 3(d)**,

tions, offering superior mechanical characteristics to the existing similar products.

The manufacturing process of the matrix, involves the following phases:

**3.1. The matrix**

sented the steps of mold forming.

• arranging the stones, **Figure 3(a)**,

• filling the joints with gypsum,

• forming the outer frame,

matrix, **Figure 3(c)**,

**3.2. The material**

• trimming edges, **Figure 3(f)**.

matrix is deposited in a modular mold.

separation planes reducing the cost of the mold.

108 Product Lifecycle Management - Terminology and Applications

• applying the demulation layer, PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol),

• demulation of the mold from silicone rubber, **Figure 3(e)**,

• preparation and application of the silicone rubber, **Figure 3(b)**,

The manufacturing process of synthetic decorative plates involves the following phases:


The composite material consists in obtaining a synthetic material composed of two component mixtures, **Figure 5**:


The percentages mentioned above represent the percentage of the total volume of the constituent materials.

The obtained material is a compact material with resistance at external agents, the process being easy to achieve. The composite material provides superior mechanical characteristics to traditional materials and can be used in other applications in the construction field such as

Recycling of Polymeric Composite Materials http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81281 111

• composite material waste utilization, thus solving the significant problem of glass fiber

• making a composite material having superior mechanical characteristics and low density

reinforcing structures.

waste;

The following advantages are obtained:

with respect to traditional materials;

• enlarge the range of materials used in construction;

**Figure 5.** The synthetic material consisting of two component mixtures.

**Figure 4.** Sand grains.

**Figure 5.** The synthetic material consisting of two component mixtures.

The obtained material is a compact material with resistance at external agents, the process being easy to achieve. The composite material provides superior mechanical characteristics to traditional materials and can be used in other applications in the construction field such as reinforcing structures.

The following advantages are obtained:

**c.** casting the first mixture so that it will cover more than 1–3 mm the height of the mold asperities and the maintenance until reaching the gel point, at room temperature,

**d.** preparing the consolidation mixture consisting of 30% sand of the 0–0.3 mm sort range, 30% grinded glass fiber waste and 40% polyester matrix and mixing it for 20 minutes, **e.** casting the consolidation mixture over the first mixture until the mold filling and leveling

**f.** transferring the mold with the composite mixture in a polymerization heat and maintaining in the mold at a temperature of 60°C, about 2 hours, until the composite material

The composite material consists in obtaining a synthetic material composed of two compo-

• the first mixture, which forms the surface layer that copy the mold and render the appearance of the synthetic plate, **Figure 6**, consist of 60% polyester matrix and 40% Calcium

• the second mixture, of consolidation, consist of 40% polyester matrix, 30% sand of the 0–0.3 mm sort range, 30% grinded glass fiber waste, casted over the first mixture and maintaining in the mold until the polymerization, resulting a synthetic composite material reinforced with glass fiber having superior mechanical properties to similar materials used

The percentages mentioned above represent the percentage of the total volume of the

, mixed approx. 5 minutes, casted and maintained until the gel point was

**g.** mold release and obtaining the ornamental synthetic plates.

the upper part,

110 Product Lifecycle Management - Terminology and Applications

polymerization,

nent mixtures, **Figure 5**:

Carbonate CaCO3

in construction.

constituent materials.

**Figure 4.** Sand grains.

reached;

