11 - Straw fibre-based construction materials

Abstract

High global demands for energy, unstable/uncertain petroleum sources and concerns over climate change have led to the resurgence in the development of alternative energy and material sources. Straw biomass conversion processes are attractive because they are in practice today and extension to future scenarios is easy for the public to envision. Although fundamental research has historically focused on straw biomass conversion to fuels, chemicals, and materials, very limited amount of these efforts have been successfully translated into commercial practice. The demand for the efficient utilisation of straw biomass requires detailed analyses of its fundamental chemical structures, morphological complexity, individual cell wall components and the correlation of physicochemical to mechanical properties. Sustainable development and recycling of agricultural waste products, i.e. straw biomass, with the bio-conversion purpose to value added products, presents great challenge and opportunity for researchers in construction industry. Only biodegradable and bio-based materials can really provide a sustainable route to the bio-refinery and bio-conversion of agricultural wastes. In a fully green circular economy prospective, the renewability of sources is combined with biodegradability of end products.