PRODUCTION AND TESTING OF FLOOR TILES USING WASTE GLASS, WASTE PLASTIC, AND DOUM PALM SHELL COMPOSITES

ABSTRACT Floor tiles, typically made from ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, plastic, or glass, are widely used for covering floors and tabletops, but conventional tiles are often cold during winter, providing poor thermal comfort and aggravating cold-related ailments such as frostbite and rheumatism. Additionally, the disposal of waste materials such as glass, plastic bottles, and Doum palm shells poses significant environmental and economic challenges in Nigeria. This study investigates the feasibility of producing composite floor tile samples using waste glass, waste plastic, silica sand, and Doum palm shell, aiming to develop sustainable construction materials with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties. Doum palm shells were collected, cleaned, dried, crushed, and ground into fine powder, while plastic and glass wastes were cleaned and shredded. These materials were mixed with 6% water and processed in a two-roll mill at 180°C and 45 rpm to obtain a homogeneous blend, which was then moulded, pressed using an electronic hydraulic press, cooled, and tested. The evaluation revealed tensile strength of 15.80–29.48 MPa, flexural strength of 62.39–77.81 MPa, compressive strength of 19.86–38.19 MPa, hardness of 45.43–59.50 HV, density of 0.95–1.08 g/cm³, water absorption of 1.56–3.19%, and thermal conductivity of 0.72–0.95 W/m·K, with denser samples exhibiting better heat transfer. The thermal conductivity results (0.72–0.95 W/m·K) indicated that denser samples had better heat transfer capacity, making them suitable for indoor flooring applications requiring moderate insulation. These results demonstrate that composite tiles from waste materials can serve as a sustainable alternative to conventional tiles while improving mechanical strength, thermal performance, and dimensional stability.