Abstract
Wood-cement panels are becoming increasingly widely used as prefabricated building materials. In order to increase the use of renewable resources as materials for industrial applications, the use of alternative plant fibres has been gaining interest. Additionally, it is assumed that new or better board properties can be achieved due to the different chemical and mechanical properties of such alternative sources of fibres. In south-eastern Spain, the Canary Islands palm (Phoenix canariensis) is widely used in urban landscaping. Plantations attacked by red palm weevils generate abundant plant waste that must be shredded and taken to authorised landfills. This paper discusses the use of particles of Canary Islands palm for manufacturing fibre panels containing 20% cement in relation to the weight of the particles, using different proportions of starch as a plasticiser. A pressure of 2.6 MPa and a temperature of 100 °C were used in their production. Density, thickness swelling, water absorption, internal bonding strength, modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and thermal conductivity were studied. The mechanical tests showed that the MOR and MOE values increased with longer setting times, meaning that the palm particles were able to tolerate the alkalinity of the cement. The board with 5% starch had a MOR of 15.76 N·mm−2 and a MOE of 1.872 N·mm−2 after 28 days. The boards with thicknesses of 6.7 mm had a mean thermal conductivity of 0.054 W·m−1·K−1. These boards achieved good mechanical properties and could be used for general use and as a thermal insulation material in building construction.
Highlights
Wood-cement boards for formwork, roofing, sandwich panels, wall coverings, partition walls, prefabricated houses, false ceilings, and flooring are becoming increasingly widely used in building construction
The objective of this study was to evaluate a new composite made from Canary Islands palm trunk biomass agglomerated with cement and starch, to analyse the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of these panels and to determine whether the palm particles degrade over time
The image of the longitudinal section of the Canary Islands palm trunk is shown in Figure 3, where it is possible to observe the typical features of the vascular bundles
Summary
Wood-cement boards for formwork, roofing, sandwich panels, wall coverings, partition walls, prefabricated houses, false ceilings, and flooring are becoming increasingly widely used in building construction. These are boards made of wood particles or cellulose fibres mixed with cement, water, and chemical additives. The Canary Islands palm is a species of the family Arecaceae or Palmae, of the genus Phoenix, which it is endemic to the Canary Islands (Spain) It forms a natural hybrid with the date palm (Phoenix dactilifera L.), meaning that there are many hybrid cultivars that are difficult to distinguish from one another. The Canary Islands palm is more vigorous than the date palm, and its stipe reaches a height of 20 m and a diameter of 40 to 50 cm
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
