Enhancement of thermal and mechanical properties of PMMA nanocomposites by adding spark plug ceramic waste

In this research, poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin was used as a base material and spark plug ceramic waste (CW) particles as a support material with different weight ratios (0%, 1%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 10%, 14%, and 20%) to study the thermal and mechanical properties through diffraction examination. FE-SEM surface structure images showed that the fracture surface of the (94% PMMA +6%CW) nanocomposite sample manifests a good distribution of particles at low and high levels. The result showed that the thermal conductivity (K) slightly increased until it reached the maximum value (0.6 watt/m.ºC) at the ratio (86%PMMA +14%CW). For the impact strength, it was noticed that the impact strength of PMMA increases with the increased weight ratios (1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 14, and 20%) of fine powder of ceramic waste compared with pure PMMA to reach the maximum value (6.02 kJ/mm2) at the sample (94% PMMA +6%CW) under L.C. Moreover, after 30 days of submersion in water, the PMMA reinforced with ceramic waste particles had enhanced impact strength. The shore D-number readings for all of the samples showed an increase as a result of the findings of nanocomposite compared with PMMA pure, where the sample (94% PMMA+6%CM) attained the greatest shore D numbers (87 H.NO). The compressive strength at the weight percentage (99% PMMA + 1% CW) was somewhat reduced. Then the compressive strength increased till it reached its maximum value (29.94 MPa) at the weight percentage (94% PMMA + 6% CW).