PLASTICOLIGHT project aims to develop lightweight extenders for plastic formulations, using porous raw materials (eggshells) and physicochemical and morphological modification processes with polysaccharides and/or porous oxides. At the plastic industry, the use of fillers allows to improve the mechanical performance of the final material with concomitant reduction of the production cost. Calcium carbonate is one of the most fillers used due to its low cost, good stability and non-toxicity. Usually, this is applied until amongst 20 and 40% of the plastic formulation. However, its high density (2,73 g/cm3) compromises some applications in which the polymers need to be of lightweight, and the level of cost saving on polymer.
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