Abstract

HAMESTER, Michele Regina Rosa; BALZER, Palova Santos  and  BECKER, Daniela. Characterization of calcium carbonate obtained from oyster and mussel shells and incorporation in polypropylene. Mat. Res. [online]. 2012, vol.15, n.2, pp. 204-208.  Epub Feb 14, 2012. ISSN 1516-1439.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516-14392012005000014.

There is a high content of calcium carbonate in mussel and oyster shells, which can be used in the formulation of medicine, in construction or as filler in polymer materials. This work has as its main objective to obtain calcium carbonate from mussel and oyster shells and used as filler in polypropylene compared their properties with polypropylene and commercial calcium carbonate composites. The shellfish was milling and heated at 500 ºC for 2 hours. The powder obtained from shellfish were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence, particle size distribution and abrasiveness and compared with commercial CaCO₃ and mixed with polypropylene. The thermal and mechanical properties of polypropylene with CaCO₃ obtained from oyster and mussel shells and with commercial CaCO₃ were analysed. The results showed that CaCO_3­ can be obtained from oyster and mussel shell and is technically possible to replace the commercial CaCO₃ for that obtained from the shells of shellfish in polypropylene composites.

Keywords : oyster shell; mussel shell; calcium carbonate; polymer.