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Potential of the hornification treatment on eucalyptus and pine fibers for fiber-cement applications

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Abstract

In the industry of cement-based products, various lignocellulosic materials are used as reinforcing elements. These cellulosic materials are presented as potential alternatives because of their sustainability, low cost and technical features. However, plant fibers, in spite of good mechanical performance as reinforcement materials, exhibit a number of shortcomings in relation to durability in the alkaline environment of cementitious materials as well as dimensional variation due to their characteristic hygroscopic behavior. Thus, hornification emerges as an alternative, economic and simple pretreatment that is expected to minimize these problems. This study evaluated the physical, chemical and morphological effects of four hornification cycles on pine pulp and innovative eucalyptus pulps, both bleached and unbleached, proving that the treatment does not deteriorate the characteristics of interest of the fibers. Hornification modifies fiber surfaces and reduces their water absorption capacity, turning the pulps into more suitable materials and giving them the technical capability to reinforce brittle inorganic matrices.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Framework Agreement of Collaboration between Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Sciences—IETcc/CSIC (Spain) and Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering—FZEA/USP (Brazil; ref: 2013040043) and to The Brasilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development—CNPq (project #306386/2013-5, #150384/2016-5), and finally, to the I-COOP program of CSIC (ref: COOPA20089-2015) for its financial support. The authors are also grateful to Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel—CAPES and São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP (process #2013/23810-8, #2012/51467–3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Duque de Caxias Norte Street, 225, Pirassununga, São Paulo, 13630-000, Brazil

    Julian Eduardo Mejia Ballesteros, Valdemir dos Santos, Gonzalo Mármol & Juliano Fiorelli

  2. Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Sciences (IETcc-CSIC), 28033, Madrid, Spain

    Moisés Frías

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  1. Julian Eduardo Mejia Ballesteros
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Correspondence to Julian Eduardo Mejia Ballesteros.

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Ballesteros, J.E.M., dos Santos, V., Mármol, G. et al. Potential of the hornification treatment on eucalyptus and pine fibers for fiber-cement applications. Cellulose 24, 2275–2286 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-017-1253-6

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