Abstract
Three series of tests performed on fibre-reinforced gypsum composites are described herein. Sheep wool fibres and hemp fibres were used as reinforcement. The aim was to evaluate the capability of these biomaterials to enhance the fracture toughness of the gypsum matrix. The mechanical properties were measured by means of flexural tests on small specimens, whereas scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to analyse the microstructure and composition of the fibres and of the gypsum composites. As a result, wool fibres were shown to improve the mechanical performance of the gypsum matrix, better than hemp fibres. This is due to the high adhesion at the interface of the fibre and gypsum matrix, because the latter tends to roughen the surface of the wool and, consequently to increase the bond strength. This preliminary research carried out shows that this type of biofiber—a waste material—can be considered a promising building material in sustainable and environmentally friendly engineering.
Highlights
In the construction sector, industrial fibres made with glass, basalt, polymer or steel, play a fundamental role in improving the behaviour of brittle matrix composites
Sheep wool fibres are characterized by uniform dimensions, whereas hemp fibres show high dimensional variability and tend to delaminate
X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that hemp fibres are semi-crystalline, with a high crystallinity index (i.e., Ic = 84.5%)
Summary
Industrial fibres made with glass, basalt, polymer (polypropylene, polyester or PVA) or steel, play a fundamental role in improving the behaviour of brittle matrix composites. A fibre-reinforcement can increase the fracture toughness and the resistance to crack propagation. The tensile strength of the brittle composites improves, especially when a large volume of fibres is added to the matrix [1]. The application of various fibre-reinforced composites is currently growing, driven by many industrial branches. With high performance and low production cost, can improve existing composites and enlarge their possible applications. As animal and vegetal fibres are eco-friendly materials, annually renewable, and totally recyclable, they meet the requirements of green building rating systems and they are frequently used as construction materials [1]
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