Influence of Cellulose Pulp Waste in Plastering Mortar

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to assess the properties of plastering mortar that uses cellulose pulp waste as absorbent material. Waste was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD, and absorption of aqueous solutions with pH variations. The incorporation of 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% of waste in a plastering mortar prepared with Portland cement, lime and sand (1:1:6) was proved viable. Mortars were analyzed and compared with a control mortar. The properties of fresh mortars analyzed were: consistency index, squeeze-flow, incorporated air, water retention and density. The properties of hardened mortars analyzed were (after 28 days): tensile resistance on flexural stress, compression strength, density, absorption by capillarity and capillarity coefficient, total water absorption, void index, specific weight and linear retraction. The addition of waste resulted in improved mechanical properties, compared to the control mortar. An increase of 4% was observed in tensile resistance on flexural stress, and of 7% in compression strength for the mortar prepared with 1.5% cellulose pulp.