Development of Sawdust in Cement Particle Board Using Eco-Friendly Process

Abstract

Environmentally sustainable and effective methods of recycling industrial waste are needed due to its continuous rise. This study therefore looked at whether sawdust waste might be used to make cement-bonded particleboards and how to improve the sawdust's compatibility with cement through the use of physical pretreatment techniques, the addition of nano slag, and rapid carbonation curing. Each test was conducted using a separate set of manufacturing setups, including treated and untreated wood, CO2 solidification, nano-slag addition, and sawdust/cement ratios of 20%, 30%, and 40%. The mechanical properties of the produced particleboards were experimentally evaluated, including density (D), water absorption (WA), thickness expansion (TS), and flexural strength (BS). The microstructure of the cement particleboards was analyzed using SEM or scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that employing the accelerated CO2 curing procedure for sawdust particleboards improved the mechanical and microstructural properties of the sawdust-treated cement bonded particleboards. The SEM micrographs demonstrate that some of the carbonate crystals both protruded from sawdust surfaces and diffused into the cell walls and cavities.