In this paper, the effects of different weight percentages of silica nano-particles on the wettability and optical properties of polymer based surfaces were investigated. The Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-SiO2 nano-composites containing 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 4 wt% silica were prepared and coated on the fabric surfaces by immersion technique at the ambient conditions. Then, the characterization of nano-composite coated samples was carried out by water contact angle technique, scanning electron and atomic force microscopes and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. It was found that increasing the silica content caused to increase the water contact angle of sample to 158° which results in an improvement in the water repellency property. This can be due to the aggregation of silica nano-particles which led to higher surface roughness of sample. The AFM and SEM images validated the results of surface roughness. However, Silica-PDMS composite coated sample exhibited a lower transmittance value (57%) in comparison to the uncoated sample (90%). This can be ascribed to the light scattering by silica nano-particles. Manuscript profile

The recycling of mine stone waste has been interesting for the creation of employment opportunities and added value and the prevention of environmental pollution. The present study examined the effects of the physicomechanical properties on the abrasion resistance of artificial stones produced with granite cut waste. A total of four artificial specimens were produced under different compositions and methods. Their physicomechanical properties, such as density, porosity, water absorption, hardness, compressive strength, and abrasion resistance, were evaluated. Finally, the artificial stones were compared to natural granite and marble in abrasion resistance. It was found that an increase in the porosity and water absorption reduced hardness, compressive strength, and abrasion resistance. Furthermore, hardness, compressive strength, and abrasion resistance declined as the porosity and water absorption increased. The increased rotational speed and load in the Taber abrasion test diminished abrasion resistance. The epoxy resin-based artificial stone exhibited the highest performance among the artificial specimens. It had almost the same porosity and water absorption as natural granite and marble. However, the epoxy resin-based stone with lower Mohs hardness and compressive strength showed less abrasion resistance compared to the natural granite and marble. As a result, all four artificial stones showed satisfactory performance for the flooring of congested areas. Manuscript profile