Thermal performance of unfired lightweight clay bricks with HDPE & PET waste plastics additives

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of incorporation of wastes plastics additives in the thermal performance of unfired clay bricks. The low adhesion between the clay and polymer molecules, in general, is one of the major challenges faced while blending the two components. In this paper, an innovative brick preparation technique known as the melt compounding preparation is suggested to ensure a homogenous clay-polymer dispersion and a maximum polymerization intensity inside the brick matrix. Various proportions for both polymeric, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) & Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), plastics wastes additives, in three grain-size are added to the earth clay. Prepared samples were tested for thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, time lag and decrement factor properties. Collected findings showed that thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity properties improved by 40% and 55%, respectively, with the incorporation the largest polymeric-grain additives (3 mm