The recycling potential of wood waste into wood-wool/cement composite

Nowadays, the recycling potential of wood waste is still limited and in a resource cascading approach, recycling wood waste in cement composite materials, such as wood wool cement board (WWCB) appears as a promising solution. The quality of the wood waste is the main factor leading to the instability of the final product which can affect the mechanical properties or the wood cement compatibility. However, the possibility to recycle wood waste as a spruce replacement for WWCB manufacture needs more investigation in order to assess the impact of wood waste on the mechanical performances of the final product, but also to characterize the behavior of hazardous substances embodied in a cement matrix. This paper addresses the characterization of two types of wood waste, from pallets and demolition waste and their influence on the manufacturing process, mechanical properties and chemical compatibility when used in WWCB. A comprehensive approach is provided to define the influence of wood waste on the hydration reaction of the cement and the chemical and physical properties of the composite are assessed by isothermal calorimetry, leaching measurement and microscopy. Finally, the mechanical properties of WWCB are tested for different wood waste content in order to define the best wood/wood waste ratio and thereby confirming the possibility to reuse the wood waste in fiber/cement composite for building application.