Characterization of the Thermo-Physical Performance of Bone Particles Proposed for Polymer Composites Production

Bone is a composite of strong but soft collagen (a protein) and hard but brittle apatite (a mineral). Cow bones are in abundance nationwide. They are usually waste materials at the abattoir and cause a great environmental degradation. The characterization of cow bone particles was investigated through x-ray diffractometer (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA). The physical properties of the bone particles were also evaluated. The various results obtained are equivalent to those of other agro-waste materials generally used in polymer composites production. Thus, this work shows that bone particles can be a useful material for polymer composites production which can be used for production of various light weight components.