This report, prepared by the Mechanical Testing Laboratory at the University of Santiago, Chile, presents a comprehensive mechanical characterization of a vitreous biomaterial obtained via Powder House’s Vitreous Transformation Process applied to grape pomace from Biograpes SpA. The characterization was carried out using uniaxial compression (UC) and uniaxial tensile (UT) tests, aiming to quantify mechanical strength and understand failure modes under different loading conditions. Under compression, the biomaterial exhibited quasi-brittle behavior, with an average strength of 1.40 ± 0.27 MPa, characterized by an initial drop in force followed by multiple progressive fracture events. In tension, the material was more fragile, with an average strength of 7.5 ± 2.0 MPa, and failure occurred through clean fracture with no visible plastic deformation—revealing clear structural anisotropy. Elastic stiffness was also greater in tension (E ≈ 110 MPa) than in compression (E ≈ 57 MPa). The study concludes that the vitreous biomaterial exhibits complex, direction-dependent mechanical behavior. Its functional fragility—manifested as progressive structural collapse under load—makes it particularly well-suited for efficient particle size reduction processes, eliminating the need for additional energy-intensive pretreatments.
