*2.2. Determination of the Highest Packaging Granulometric Composition*

Based on three ranges of grains obtained, 10 different mixtures with different percentages of rough, medium, and fine particles were proposed (Table 1).


**Table 1.** Experiment matrix to determine apparent dry best-packed.

Figure 1 shows a complete ternary diagram developed in the experimental numericmodeling grid Simplex (Simplex-Lattice Design) [22] to obtain greater packaging in ternary mixtures. To determine the proportion of the greatest packaging of the 10 mixtures, all were tested based on the standard ABNT/MB-3388 Brazilian standard (1991)—Determination of the minimum index void ratio of non-cohesive [23].

**Figure 1.** Ternary diagram of the Simplex complete cubic model [9].

**Figure 1.** Ternary diagram of the Simplex complete cubic model [9]. The mixtures were placed in a device with a container of 1013.24 cm3 and a 10 kg piston was used on the material, which was subjected to vibration through a vibrating table. This procedure was repeated three times for each of the 10 compositions. As it can The mixtures were placed in a device with a container of 1013.24 cm<sup>3</sup> and a 10 kg piston was used on the material, which was subjected to vibration through a vibrating table. This procedure was repeated three times for each of the 10 compositions. As it can be seen in Table 1, mixture 8 (4/6 rough, 1/6 medium, and 1/6 fine particles), was the one with the greatest apparent dry density representing the most close-packed one. Consequently, it was chosen for the production of artificial stone plates.

be seen in Table 1, mixture 8 (4/6 rough, 1/6 medium, and 1/6 fine particles), was the one As described by Ribeiro [11], it was necessary to calculate the minimum amount of resin (MAR) necessary for the artificial stone production, using Equations (1) and (2):

$$VV^{\prime \mu} = \left(1 - \frac{\rho\_{PA}}{\rho\_Q}\right) \ast 100\tag{1}$$

As described by Ribeiro [11], it was necessary to calculate the minimum amount of where:

resin (MAR) necessary for the artificial stone production, using Equations (1) and (2): *VV*% = Void volume present in the mixture of particles;

% = ቆ1 െ *ρPA* = Apparent density of particles, calculated by the packaging method;

*ρQ* = Quartzite density, calculated by pycnometry.

ொ ቇ ∗ 100 (1) where: From obtaining the void volume (*VV*%) value, it was possible to calculate the minimum amount of resin (MAR), through Equation (2) below:

$$MAR\% = \frac{VV\% \* \rho\_{\text{resin}}}{VV\% \* \rho\_{\text{resin}} + (100 - VV\% \_\circ) \* \rho\text{Q}}\tag{2}$$

Artificial stone plates with a dimension of 100 × 100 × 10 mm were developed, with

The mixture was taken to a Marcone MA 098-A hydraulic press for the plates

production, with 3 MPa compression pressure and temperature of 90 °C for plates produced with epoxy resin and 80 °C for plates produced with polyurethane resin [7,24]. After pressing, the mold was disconnected from the vacuum system and cooled to room temperature to remove the plate. The plates with 85 wt% of artificial quartzite stone were developed with epoxy resin (AS-EP) and vegetable polyurethane resin (AS-PU), were

epoxy and natural vegetable polyurethane polymer resins, using the vacuum, vibration, and compression method. Initially, the quartzite particles were dried in an oven for 24 h at 100 °C to release moisture, then weighed and mixed with the resin in a vibration system under vacuum. Two plates were made of each resin in the dimensions 200 × 200 × 10 mm,

 = Apparent density of particles, calculated by the packaging method; where:

*ρQ* = Quartzite density, calculated by pycnometry. From obtaining the void volume (VV%) value, it was possible to calculate the minimum amount of resin (MAR), through Equation (2) below: *MAR*% = Minimum amount of resin to fill the void volume; *VV*% = Void volume present in the mixture of particles; *ρresin* = Epoxy resin and polyurethane resin density; *ρQ* = Quartzite density, calculated by pycnometry.
