Recycling Functional Fillers from Waste Tires for Tailored Polystyrene Composites: Mechanical, Fire Retarding, Electromagnetic Field Shielding, and Acoustic Insulation Properties-A Short Review.

Polymer waste is currently a big and challenging issue throughout the world. Waste tires represent an important source of polymer waste. Therefore, it is highly desirable to recycle functional fillers from waste tires to develop composite materials for advanced applications. The primary theme of this review involves an overview of developing polystyrene (PS) composites using materials from recycled tires as fillers; waste tire recycling in terms of ground tire rubbers, carbon black, and textile fibers; surface treatments of the fillers to optimize various composite properties; and the mechanical, fire retarding, acoustic, and electromagnetic field (EMI) shielding performances of PS composite materials. The development of composite materials from polystyrene and recycled waste tires provides a novel avenue to achieve reductions in carbon emission goals and closed-loop plastic recycling, which is of significance in the development of circular economics and an environmentally friendly society.

Waste rubber - Black pollution reframed as a global issue: Ecological challenges and sustainability initiatives.

In contrast to "white pollution" originating from waste plastics, waste rubber is often referred to as "black pollution." The quantity and variety of waste rubber are increasing at an alarming rate, with a considerable fraction entering the global ecosystem via various pathways. This study presents the first critical review of waste rubber research with a focus on the risks associated with toxicant discharge and existing problems in waste rubber disposal, management, and recycling practices. We aim to obtain a comprehensive understanding of current research, particularly regarding the ecological impacts of these wastes, highlight major gaps, and propose the most significant research directions. A total of 192 studies published in journals were critically analysed. The importance of conducting long-term and large-scale experiments and developing efficient waste rubber recycling systems is also emphasised. This study highlights the need to address the challenges posed by waste rubber pollution and offers insights and references for undertaking ecological risk assessments and understanding the mechanisms underlying toxicant behaviour. Suggestions and countermeasures are proposed with ecosystem sustainability as the ultimate goal. Further long-term, comprehensive, and systematic research in this area is required.

Structural, radiation shielding, thermal and dynamic mechanical analysis for waste rubber/EPDM rubber composite loaded with Fe2O3 for green environment.

Increasing waste rubber recycling produces a specious range of products for many valuable applications. Waste Rubber/EPDM composite with different concentrations was prepared. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is used to identify the chemical composition. A water absorption test, Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) were performed. The (75/25) WR/EPDM rubber composite exhibited the best behavior with the highest mechanical performance. Fe2O3 was added to (75/25) WR/EPDM rubber composite. Water absorption, FTIR, TGA, and DMA were investigated. The composite performance was improved with increasing Fe2O3 content. The linear attenuation coefficients (µ) were also measured as a function of the concentrations of Fe2O3 for γ-ray energy 662 keV by using 137Cs point source; the radiation shielding can be denoted by numbers of parameters like mass attenuation coefficient (µm), half value layer (HVL), Tenth value layer TVL and radiation protection efficiency (RPE%), radiation protection efficiency increased as Fe2O3 increased.

Preparation and Characterization of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)/Carbonized Waste Rubber Biocomposite Films.

The technological properties of composite materials (thermal, strength, rheology, electrical and morphology) are very important parameters for high-performance applications. In this study, we aimed to improve the properties of PVA by using carbon materials obtained by the pyrolysis of waste tires, with the aim of recycling them instead of disposing of them. For this purpose, PVA biocomposite films containing carbonized waste rubber at different rates were prepared. The thermal properties of the prepared biocomposite films were examined via thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) methods. While rheological measurements were carried out with a rheometer, bulk conductivities were measured with a pico-ammeter. In addition, the morphology of biocomposite films was determined via field emission scanning electron microscopy. The nanomechanical properties of biocomposite film was investigated via XPM analyses. According to the rheological measurements and nanoindentation hardness results, it is understood that as the amount of carbonized waste rubber increases, flexibility decreases and harder and brittle structures are observed in biocomposite films. The electrical measurement results showed that electrical conductivity increased as the amount of carbonized waste rubber increased. When all the results obtained were evaluated, it could be concluded that biocomposite films obtained by increasing the electrical conductivity and hardness of PVA can be used in the electronics industry.

Flexural Response of Functionally Graded Rubberized Concrete Beams.

Recycling rubber and/or steel fiber components of waste tires in construction applications is a venue for maximizing the recycling rate of these items. Additionally, it supports the move towards producing sustainable construction materials and conserving natural resources. Previous research explored the viability of employing recycled waste rubber particles as an alternative for natural aggregate. Despite the adverse effect of rubber on the mechanical properties of concrete (e.g., lower compressive strength), it produces several advantages, including excellent dynamic and ductility properties, which can be utilized in structural members critical to dynamic loads, e.g., blasts, earthquakes, and impacts. In an effort to expand the adoption of waste rubber in concrete beams and to eliminate key concerns associated with the degradation of their flexural behavior, the functionally graded (FG) beams concept was utilized. The present investigation comprised the testing of five beams using a four-point bending configuration. Plain concrete, rubberized concrete (RuC), and steel-fiber reinforced rubberized concrete (SFRRuC) beams were cast along with FG beams arranged in two layers. The top layer of the FG beams comprised plain concrete, while the bottom layer consisted of RuC or SFRRuC. Experimental findings indicated that the flexural behavior of the FG beam with layers of SFRRuC and plain concrete exceeded the flexural strength, displacement ductility ratio, and toughness performances of the plain concrete beam by 9.9%, 12.9%, and 24.4%, respectively. The moment-curvature relationship was also predicted for the tested beam and showed an excellent match with the experimentally measured relationship.

Enhancing Devulcanizing Degree and Efficiency of Reclaimed Rubber by Using Alcoholic Amines as the Devulcanizing Agent in Low-Temperature Mechano-Chemical Process.

Low-temperature mechanical chemical devulcanization is a process that can produce reclaimed rubber with exceptional mechanical properties. However, the inadequacy and low efficiency of the devulcanization have significantly restricted its application. To address the issues, alcoholic amines, including hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine (AEEA), ethanolamine (ETA), and diethanol amine (DEA), are utilized as devulcanizing agents to promote the devulcanization process. Careful characterizations are conducted to reveal the devulcanizing mechanism and to depict the performances of reclaimed rubbers. Results show that the amine groups in the devulcanizing agents can react with sulfur after the crosslink bonds are broken by mechanical shear force, thus blocking the activity of sulfur and introducing hydroxyl groups into the rubber chains. The incorporation of alcoholic amines can enhance the devulcanizing degree and devulcanizing efficiency, reduce the Mooney viscosity, and improve the mechanical and anti-aging performance. When using DEA as the devulcanizing agent, the sol content of reclaimed rubber increases from 13.1% to 22.4%, the devulcanization ratio increases from 82.1% to 89.0%, the Mooney viscosity decreases from 135.5 to 83.6, the tensile strength improves from 14.7 MPa to 16.3 MPa, the retention rate of tensile strength raises from 55.2% to 82.6% after aging for 72 h, while the devulcanization time is shortened from 21 min to 9.5 min, compared with that without using alcoholic amines. Therefore, alcoholic amines exhibit remarkable advantages in the devulcanization of waste rubber, thus indicating a promising direction for the advancement of research in the area of waste rubber reclamation.

An overview on waste rubber recycling by microwave devulcanization.

This review deals with waste rubber recycling by devulcanization treatment using microwave method. In fact, vulcanized rubbers have been extensively used in various fields due to their superior performances. Subsequently, the massive use of such materials, especially in the automotive industry, has generated a substantial amount of wastes which are not easily to be degraded due to the three-dimensional network formed by the vulcanization process. One of the optimal solutions for the successful recycling of rubber is devulcanization, i.e., the process in which the sulfur bonds in the vulcanized material are selectively broken. Currently, to achieve rubber devulcanization, the microwave treatment has been proposed as a promising alternative process due to its precise manipulation of process variables. Furthermore, the microwave process is easily to be coupled with effects of other elements such as chemical and swelling agents. In this work, different microwave devulcanization methods are reviewed, the utilization of the corresponding devulcanized materials has also been discussed. The reviewed contents are believed to be of great interest to academics and industries since they represent a great challenge from scientific, economic and environmental points of view.

Uncovering the energy-carbon-water footprint of waste rubber recycling: Integrated environmental and economic perspectives.

The commitment to waste management has gained increasing momentum as global waste generation continues to skyrocket and threaten the environment. However, detailed assessments and clear insights remain absent to address the global waste utilization conundrum. This study evaluated the impact-oriented energy, carbon, and water (ECW) footprints of three typical scenarios for a waste recycling activity (i.e., waste rubber recycling) from environmental and economic dimensions, and explored key factors, nexus characteristics, and optimization measures. Results indicated that the rubber powder as an asphalt modifier scenario had a 93% greater environmental impact and 87% higher economic cost compared with the pyrolysis and reclaimed rubber production scenarios. Key processes, such as direct processes, electricity generation, and transportation, were identified as the major contributors to the ECW footprints, with the internal costs of raw materials, equipment, and taxes coupled with the external costs of human health dominating the economic impact. The nexus analysis results highlighted the urgent need to optimize the energy system for waste rubber recycling. Greening the production process revealed the benefits, with natural additives mitigating 85% of the environmental burden and 97% of the external costs compared with conventional additives. Industrial green microgrids, clean energy generation, proximity waste management, and electrified transportation were explored to foster sustainable optimization of waste rubber recycling systems. Moreover, a joint tax-subsidy mechanism for rubber production-recycling systems can stimulate recycling-oriented product design and increase the motivation to recycle waste rubber.

Elastocaloric Waste/Natural Rubber Materials with Various Crosslink Densities.

The characterization of the mechanical behavior of elastocaloric materials is essential to identify their viability in heating/cooling devices. Natural rubber (NR) is a promising elastocaloric (eC) polymer as it requires low external stress to induce a wide temperature span, ΔT. Nonetheless, solutions are needed to further improve DT, especially when targeting cooling applications. To this aim, we designed NR-based materials and optimized the specimen thickness, the density of their chemical crosslinks, and the quantity of ground tire rubber (GTR) used as reinforcing fillers. The eC properties under a single and cyclic loading conditions of the resulting vulcanized rubber composites were investigated via the measure of the heat exchange at the specimen surface using infrared thermography. The highest eC performance was found with the specimen geometry with the lowest thickness (0.6 mm) and a GTR content of 30 wt.%. The maximum temperature span under single interrupted cycle and multiple continuous cycles were equal to 12 °C and 4 °C, respectively. These results were assumed to be related to more homogeneous curing in these materials and to a higher crosslink density and GTR content which both act as nucleating elements for the strain-induced crystallization at the origin of the eC effect. This investigation would be of interest for the design of eC rubber-based composites in eco-friendly heating/cooling devices.

Research on the Fatigue Properties of Rejuvenated Asphalt Prepared by Waste Cooking Oil Pre-Desulfurized Crumb Tire Rubber.

Fatigue cracking has hitherto been a crucial constraint on the development of reclaimed asphalt pavements attributed to the performance of rejuvenated asphalt binder. Therefore, it is extremely significant to evaluate the fatigue performance of rejuvenated asphalt precisely and objectively and to improve the fatigue life of rejuvenated asphalt binders. With preceding research in our group, this paper investigated the fatigue properties of waste rubber/oil (WRO) rejuvenated asphalt and universal rejuvenated asphalt by dynamic shear rheometer test (DSR). The applicability of common fatigue life evaluation indexes and the response to internal and external influences on the fatigue performance of rejuvenated asphalt were analyzed. It is demonstrated that Np20 corresponding to the mutagenesis of phase angle is physically significant and independent of the parameters including rejuvenator type, loading mode and loading level, which was recommended as the evaluation index for fatigue life of rejuvenated asphalt in this paper. The fatigue performance of both WRO and universal rejuvenated asphalt is found to decrease with loading frequency and loading level, but the fatigue life of WRO rejuvenated asphalt is comparatively superior to the latter, particularly at high loading frequencies and levels. Influenced by waste tire crumb rubber (WTCR), increasing the proportion of WTCR can improve the fatigue life of rejuvenated asphalt. When compared to other rejuvenated asphalt, RWRO@55 rejuvenated asphalt shows better fatigue performance and its fatigue life rebounds at high loading frequency. Consequently, the recommended mastic-oil ratio is 5:5. However, when the rheological recoverability compensation is considered, the fatigue lifetime evaluation of rejuvenated asphalt will be changed significantly, and therefore the fatigue performance evaluation of rejuvenated asphalt should consider the influence of rheological recoverability to develop a comprehensive evaluation system.

Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Concrete Incorporating Silica Fume and Waste Rubber Powder.

Using waste rubber tires for concrete production will reduce the demand for natural aggregate and help to reduce environmental pollution. The main challenge of using waste rubber tires in concrete is the deterioration of mechanical properties, due to poor bonding between rubber and cement matrix. This research aims to evaluate the mechanical and thermal properties of rubberised concrete produced by using different proportions of rubber powder and silica fume. Ordinary Portland cement was partially replaced with silica fume by amounts of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%, while sand was replaced by 10%, 20% and 30% with waste rubber powder. Tests were carried out in order to determine workability, density, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, elastic modulus, thermal properties, water absorption and shrinkage of rubberised concrete. The compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of concrete produced using waste rubber powder were reduced by 10-52% and 9-57%, respectively. However, the reduction in modulus of elasticity was 2-36%, less severe than compressive and splitting tensile strengths. An optimum silica fume content of 15% was observed based on the results of mechanical properties. The average shrinkage of concrete containing 15% silica fume increased from -0.051% to -0.085% at 28 days, as the content of waste rubber powder increased from 10% to 30%. While the thermal conductivity of rubberised concrete was reduced by 9-35% compared to the control sample. Linear equations were found to correlate the density, splitting tensile strength, modulus of elasticity and thermal conductivity of concrete with silica fume and waste rubber powder.

Fire Resistance Evaluation of New Wooden Composites Containing Waste Rubber from Automobiles.

Particleboards containing waste rubber (tires and mixtures of isolators and carpets) filler were evaluated from the point of view of its flammability. The assessment of the utilization of these composites in the construction industry was analyzed through the determination of their spontaneous ignition temperatures, mass burning rate and calorific value. Based on the results of spontaneous ignition temperatures, similar values between particleboards and particleboards containing 10%, 15% and 20% of waste tires were obtained. The average time was from 298 s to 309 s and the average temperature was from 428.1 °C to 431.7 °C. For the mass burning rate, there were similar results between particleboards and particleboards containing 10% of waste tires and waste rubber. The time to initiation was 34 s and the time to reaching a maximal burning rate was from 66 s to 68 s. The calorimetry results showed similar properties for the calorimetric value and ash content in particleboards and particleboards containing 10% of waste tires and waste rubber. The calorific value was from 18.4 MJ·kg-1 to 19.7 MJ·kg-1 and the ash content from 0.5% to 2.9%.

Effect of a low content of waste rubber inclusion on pore structure and thermal insulation properties of hybrid slag mortars.

The reuse of sustainable waste materials in cement-based mixtures is a key solution for the production of environmentally friendly construction materials. Among the various types of industrial wastes, the utilization of waste rubber (WR) has become a vital topic in the sustainable material design. This study aimed at developing an eco-friendly mortar by enhancing the use of WR as a cement additive in hybrid slag mortar mixtures. For this purpose, five different hybrid slag mixtures were prepared, with three contents (0%, 1.0%, and 2.0%) and two different particle size ranges (0-0.6 mm and 0-1.0 mm) of WR. The experimental results demonstrate that the incorporation of a low content of WR into the mixtures leads to a major pore modification effect, resulting in an increase in the number of pores with lower pore sizes. Based on the pore modification effect, a thermal insulation enhancement of ≈17% was measured with limited strength reductions. Besides, strong linear relationships between the strengths and the effective pore contents with R2 of > 0.80 were detected. With the aim of promoting the sustainable design, the integration of a low content of rubber and slag seems as a good option.

Selective Decomposition of Waste Rubber from the Shoe Industry by the Combination of Thermal Process and Mechanical Grinding.

A major challenge in waste rubber (WR) industry is achieving a high sol fraction and high molecular weight of recycled rubber at the same time. Herein, the WR from the shoe industry was thermo-mechanically ground via the torque rheometer. The effect of grinding temperature and filling rate were systematically investigated. The particle size distribution, structure evolution, and morphology of the recycled rubber were explored by laser particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), sol fraction analysis, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results indicate that the thermo-mechanical method could reduce the particle size of WR. Moreover, the particle size distribution of WR after being ground can be described by Rosin's equation. The oxidation reaction occurs during thermal-mechanical grinding. With the increase of the grinding temperature and filling rate, the sol fraction of the recycled WR increases. It is also found that a high sol fraction (43.7%) and high molecular weight (35,284 g/mol) of reclaimed rubber could be achieved at 80 °C with a filling rate of 85%. Moreover, the obtained recycled rubber compound with SBR show a similar vulcanization characteristics to pure SBR. Our selective decomposition of waste rubber strategy opens up a new way for upgrading WR in shoe industry.

Rheological Modeling of Bituminous Mixtures Including Polymer-Modified Binder and Fine Crumb Rubber Added through Dry Process.

In recent years, both dry and wet processes to include waste rubber (WR) in bituminous mixtures have had little success in Italy due to technical and economic reasons. However, the necessity to recycle this waste material and the increasing interest in low-noise emitting pavement is encouraging researchers and stakeholders to explore new solutions. In this context, a hot-mix asphalt (HMA) manufactured with polymer-modified bitumen and fine WR added through a dry method has been recently developed. This paper deals with the rheological characterization and modeling of this innovative HMA, in comparison with two reference mixtures, with ordinary polymer-modified bitumen and with an asphalt rubber binder produced through a wet process. The complex modulus was measured through uniaxial cyclic compression tests at different temperatures and frequencies. The Huet-Sayegh rheological model was used to simulate the experimental data. The results showed that the time-temperature superposition principle is valid, despite the presence of polymers and WR. The Huet-Sayegh model allows a good fitting of the dynamic modulus and loss angle data to be achieved. The viscous response of the mixture including polymer-modified bitumen and rubber powder is higher than the other HMAs, which is mainly associated with the nature of the modifiers, the binder content in the mix and the less severe short-term aging.

Adsorption of lead, copper and zinc in a multi-metal aqueous solution by waste rubber tires for the design of single batch adsorber.

Heavy metal pollution has emerged as one of the most serious environmental challenges facing the world today. The removal of heavy metals from the effluent is of special environmental concern because of their toxicity and persistence in nature. This study presents the suitability of activated carbon from waste rubber tire as a low-cost adsorbent for multiple adsorption of copper, lead and zinc from wastewater. The adsorbent removed heavy metal ions effectively from solution medium in the order of copper > lead > Zinc. The adsorption process was rapid with all metals reaching equilibrium within 120 min. The optimum pH for Lead was achieved at 5 and 6 for copper and Zinc. The removal of heavy metals was discovered to increase with adsorbent dosage and contact time and reduced with initial concentration. The adsorption of multiple heavy metals was modeled using Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms to assess the experimental findings. The equilibrium data better fitted to the Langmuir isotherm with regression coefficient (R2) of 0.9831, 0.9992 and 0.9953 for lead, copper and zinc respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities (Qmax) at equilibrium were 9.6805 mg/g, 12.4378 mg/g and 4.9950 mg/g for Lead, Copper and Zinc respectively. The adsorption kinetics indicated that pseudo-second-order kinetic model described well the sorption mechanism for multiple adsorption of heavy metals with R2 of more than 0.99 for all metal ions. An empirical model for predicting and designing of a single batch adsorber for 95 % multiple heavy metal ion removal at any given initial heavy metal ion concentration and effluent volume was further developed using activated carbon from waste rubber tires. Waste rubber tire Activated carbon demonstrated an ability for the treatment of wastewater containing these heavy metals in multimetal solutions.

Development of Waste-Based Alkali-Activated Cement Composites.

Nowadays, global warming and the ensuing climate change are one of the biggest problems for humanity, but environmental pollution and the low ratio of waste management and recycling are not negligible issues, either. By producing alkali-activated cements (AACs), it is possible to find an alternative way to handle the above-mentioned environmental problems. First, with a view to optimizing experimental parameters, metakaolin-based AACs were prepared, and in it, waste tire rubber was used as sand replacement (5-45 wt %). Insufficient wetting between the rubber particles and the matrix was corrected through different surface treatments of the rubber. For improving the mechanical/strength properties of the specimens, fibrous waste kaolin wool (0.5-1.5 wt %) was added to the AAC matrix. Considering the results of model experiments with metakaolin, blast-furnace-slag-based AAC composites were developed. The effects of storage conditions, specimen size and cyclic loading on the compressive strength were investigated, and the resulting figures were compared with the relevant values of classic binders. The strength (44.0 MPa) of the waste-based AAC composite significantly exceeds the required value (32.5 MPa) of clinker saving slag cement. Furthermore, following cyclic compressive loading, the residual strength of the waste-based AAC composite shows a slight increase rather than a decrease.

Mechanical insight into the formation of H2S from thiophene pyrolysis: The influence of H2O.

The thermal utilization of waste rubber is accompanied by the release of sulfur, and the release of H2S to the gas phase is one of the crucial issues. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and wave function analysis were employed to explore the possible formation pathways of H2S and its precursor (·SH radical) during the pyrolysis of thiophene in the presence of H2O. It indicates that H2O affects the decomposition of thiophene and the formation of H2S in two patterns. First, H2O can participate in the hydrogen transfer process by acting as a catalyst or generating weak hydrogen bonds with thiophene. In this way, the hydrogen transfer reactions are promoted with lower energy barriers, and thus the formation of H2S is facilitated by H2O without changing the pyrolysis pathways. Secondly, H2O can saturate the thiophene ring by addition reactions and alter the generation pathways of H2S significantly. The energy barriers can be decreased with one or two CC bonds of thiophene being saturated. The completely saturated thiophene results in a greater decline of the overall energy barriers for H2S formation. H2O provides the H atom for H2S in the second pattern. Due to the combination of the two influence patterns, the release of H2S can be promoted greatly in the presence of H2O. The present study aims to lay a foundation for the clean thermal utilization of thiophene/rubber and to inspire the advance of desulfurization techniques.

Enhanced Storage Stability and Rheological Properties of Asphalt Modified by Activated Waste Rubber Powder.

Segregation of waste crumb rubber powder (WR) modified asphalt binders the large-scale application of WR in asphalt. The method of microwave activation combined with chemical activation (KMWR) was proposed to improve storage stability and rheological properties of WR modified asphalt in this work. Storage stability and rheological properties of virgin asphalt, MWR modified asphalt, and KMWR modified asphalt were comparatively studied by the standard segregation test, bending beam rheometer (BBR) test, and dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) test. The effect of composite activation on waste rubber powder particles was studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) tests. The main results showed that after the physical and chemical composite activation, the storage stability of waste rubber powder modified asphalt was significantly improved, WR modified asphalt had better crack resistance, better rutting resistance, and better fatigue performance. After physical and chemical activation, WR was desulfurized, and a large number of active groups was grafted on the WR particles.

Mitigation of waste rubber tire and waste wood ash by the production of rubberized low calcium waste wood ash based geopolymer concrete and influence of waste rubber fibre in setting properties and mechanical behavior.

World-class trend set was focusing on finding an alternative for cement which is a major pollutant to the environment by releasing greenhouse gas emission. Meanwhile, disposal of waste by generating a suitable method for its effective utilization is a major role of researchers in global. Geopolymer is one of the most suitable alternatives for the utilization of all industrial wastes with aluminosilicate source material in which has a disadvantage of requirement of high alkaline solution and exposed temperature curing. In this study, alternative for cement in the view of low calcium based geopolymer was introduced to reduce the aforementioned problem in GPC. Meanwhile, GPC has a problem on less brittle, less energy absorption and impact resistance. Rubber tire is a huge available waste material which is most harmful to the environment if it burnt. Waste rubber tire has a property of high elasticity and it has an abundant way to use in the concrete. In order to counteract the aforementioned problems, waste rubber as a fiber was added at a variation of 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2% of volume fractions. The addition of fibre up to 1 percent improved the setting properties and mechanical behaviors in all ages of curing. At the age of 90 days, the compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength and modulus of elasticity of low calcium geopolymer mix was increased by 4.36%, 6.25%, 3.64% and 10.62% respectively. Further, addition of waste rubber fibre beyond 1 percent results in decreasing of all strength parameters.