Utilization of E-Waste Plastic-Coated Recycled Aggregates in Concrete: A Sustainable Waste Management and Construction Innovation Solution

This study evaluates the use of e-waste plastic powder as a surface coating for recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) to mitigate the strength and durability penalties associated with RCA in M30 concrete. RCA was coated at an RCA-to-powder ratio of 6:1 and used to replace natural coarse aggregate at 15%, 20%, and 25% (ECRA series), alongside a control mix and uncoated RCA mixes, with a constant water-to-cement ratio (w/c) of 0.43. Mechanical performance was assessed at 7, 14, and 28 days using compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strength tests, while durability was evaluated by 5% hydrochloric acid (HCl) exposure, 5% sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) exposure, water absorption, and the rapid chloride permeability test (RCPT). Supporting characterization included X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential thermal analysis (DTA). At 28 days, 20% ECRA achieved a compressive strength of 31.98 MPa, comparable to that of the control (32.17 MPa), whereas 20% uncoated RCA reduced the compressive strength by 11%. The splitting tensile strength increased to 3.42 MPa at 20% ECRA (vs. 3.35 MPa control), and the flexural strength improved by 1.92%. Durability also improved: 28-day water absorption decreased to 6.4% for 20% ECRA (vs. 7.5% for 20% RCA) and RCPT charge reduced to 245–658 C for ECRA mixes (vs. 1058 C for the control). TGA indicated only 4.02% mass loss up to 700 °C, indicating good thermal stability. Overall, e-waste powder coating enhanced the performance of recycled aggregate concrete, with 20% ECRA providing the best balance of mechanical and durability behavior.

Coated recycled aggregate; E-waste powder; Electronic waste; Recycled aggregate

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