Physical and Chemical Properties of Horns Sheaths Particles for the Manufacture of Composite Materials

Abstract

Salvaged cow horns from slaughterhouses have been transformed into fine particles for a physical characterization that has led us to determine the humidity rate (2.34% ± 0.054%), the actual density situated between 0.586 g/cm3 and 0.732 g/cm3, the swelling rate (12%), and one chemical characterization that permitted us to determine the rate of dry matters (97.05%), of mineral matters (2.5%), of protein matters (94.52%). From these weak values, it can easily be seen that cow horn case doesn’t absorb much water and improve the mechanical characteristics of the composite; the high rate of protein shows that keratin which is the structural molecule favors its gripping as reinforcing element in the manufacturing of composite materials.