Researchers Turn Recycled Pulp Mill Waste into Stronger, More Resilient Cement
According to foreign media reports, pulp mills generate large amounts of waste, and scientists have been very creative in utilizing this waste, with possibilities including foam, batteries and stronger concrete. The latest application example comes from researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC), who used pulp mill waste as a filler material for cement, and this material proved to be stronger and more elastic.
The core waste in this breakthrough is called pulp mill fly ash (PFA), and North America's pulp and paper industry produces more than 1 million tons of PFA each year. Instead of throwing it all into landfills, the UBC research team began studying how to use it as a sustainable binding material for road construction.
Through experiments, they found that this recycled wood ash structure can form stronger bonds between different materials in cement. They were also able to produce this sustainable building material in a more energy-efficient way than conventional cement.
Dr. Chinchu Cherian, author of the research report, explained: "The porosity of PFA acts like a binder for the other materials in the cement, making the overall structure stronger and more elastic than non-PFA materials. Through our material characterization and toxicological analysis, we found that producing this new material brings greater environmental and social benefits, higher energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions."
One issue with using recycled pulp mill products such as PFA is that toxins used in the facilities' initial processes may leach out of the material and into the environment. However, the research team confirmed that the chemical bonds inside the cement are so strong that little or no chemicals escape, so they consider this cement to be safe.
"Overall, our research affirms that using recycled wood ash from pulp mills in construction activities such as building sustainable roads and cost-neutral buildings can yield huge environmental and economic benefits," said Cherian. "Reducing landfill and reducing our ecological footprint is good not only for the industry but for society as a whole."
——This article is reproduced from China Packaging Network (pack.cn), original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-377899.html
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