Amar Boukerrou^*, Dalila Hammiche, Djidjelli Hocine, Hassina Aouat

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.2, No.4, pp. 249-257, 2014, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634119

Abstract The lack of compatibility between cellulose fi bers and some polymers, such as thermoplastics, is due on one hand to the hydrophilic nature of the vegetable fi bers and on the other hand to the hydrophobic character of the matrix. This incompatibility induces bad dispersion of the fi bers and the formation of a heterogeneous material with mechanical properties which are not very satisfactory. The scope of this article is to describe the possibility of using Olive Husk Flour (OHF) as reinforcement in the elaboration of a composite material based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In this context, we used the… More >

Sławomir Michałowski, Aleksander Prociak^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 14-18, 2015, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634131

Abstract This article describes the effects of the modifi cation of polyurethane system with rapeseed oil-based polyol on the cell structure and physical-mechanical properties of conventional fl exible polyurethane foams. The foams were prepared by substituting a part of the petrochemical polyether-polyols mixture with the bio-polyol based on rapeseed oil. Selected physical-mechanical properties of these foams were examined and compared to the properties of reference foam. The properties such as apparent density, resilience, comfort factor and stress-strain characteristics were analyzed in compression tests. It was found that the modifi cation of polyurethane formulation with rapeseed oil-based polyol improves the selected properties… More >

X. Li¹, A. Pizzi^1,2,*, X. Zhou^3,*, V. Fierro⁴, A. Celzard⁴

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.3, No.2, pp. 142-150, 2015, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634117

Abstract Tannin/furanic foams, typically 95% composed of materials of natural origin such as prorobinetinidin/ profi setinidin tannins and furfuryl alcohol, are potential alternatives to oil-based synthetic foams such as phenol-formaldehyde, and polyurethane foams. This article describes the development of second generation tannin/furanic foams, which are not only formaldehyde free, but also use nonvolatile, nontoxic aldehydes. Both glyoxal and glutaraldehyde were tried to substitute formaldehyde in tannin/furanic foams. The physical properties of these new foams are described and discussed. It was found that glutaraldehyde can totally substitute formaldehyde during tannin/furanic foam preparation, but that glyoxal cannot. The optimized proportion to prepare such… More >

D.N. Dorr, S.D. Frazier, K.M. Hess, L.S. Traeger, W.V. Srubar III^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 195-204, 2015, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634108

Abstract A study of the potential for gelatin-based derivatives to serve as biorenewable, biodegradable adhesives for wood and engineered wood products is presented in this article. The effect of gelatin-to-water weight percent on the mechanical, specifically ultimate breaking (bond) strength, and thermal properties was investigated using tensile testing and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. The breaking strengths of the gelatin-based adhesives were characterized and compared to four commercially available wood adhesives. The effect of 1–5% tannin addition on the mechanical, thermal, and moisture absorption behavior of the gelatin-based adhesives was also investigated. Results show that the gelatin-based materials demonstrate 1) appropriate thermal… More >

K. M. Hess, W. V. Srubar III^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 175-182, 2015, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634106

Abstract This article concerns the development and characterization of a protein-based alternative to traditional fiberreinforced polymer (FRP) composites used in construction. In this work, gelatin-based resins were prepared at various gelatin-to-water (g/w) ratios. The effects of g/w ratio and curing time on resin mechanical properties were investigated. Using gelatin resins with a 30% g/w ratio, (i) gelatin-flax and (ii) gelatin-fiberglass composites were fabricated, and their mechanical properties were characterized and compared to both (iii) epoxy-flax and (iv) epoxy-fiberglass composites. Fracture surface morphologies were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Results indicate that gelatin-flax composites exhibit similar mechanical properties compared to the epoxy-fiberglass… More >

Tingting Huo¹, Jiaquan Xue^2,*, Zhi’an Fu³

FDMP-Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, Vol.19, No.2, pp. 437-450, 2023, DOI:10.32604/fdmp.2022.020696

Abstract The properties of polyurethane concrete containing a large amount of fly ash are investigated, and accordingly, a model is introduced to account for the influence of fly ash fineness, water ratio, and loss of ignition (LOI) on its mechanical performances. This research shows that, after optimization, the concrete has a compressive strength of 20.8 MPa, a flexural strength of 3.4 MPa, and a compressive modulus of elasticity of 19.2 GPa. The main factor influencing 28 and 90 d compressive strength is fly ash content, water-binder ratio, and early strength agent content. More >

Xinli Zhang¹, Jiayu Zhang¹, Zuhua Zhang^2,*, Yiqiang Wu^1,*, Yingfeng Zuo¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.11, No.1, pp. 27-40, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2023.023400

Abstract Geopolymer is a new alternative cement binder to produce concrete. In the present study, a novel geopolymer composites containing bamboo shaving (0–2 wt.%) were fabricated and exposed to the temperatures of 200°C, 400°C, 600°C and 800°C. Physical properties, micro-structure, and mechanical strengths of the geopolymer composites were evaluated before and after heating in order to understand their thermal properties, which are essential for the use as building materials. As the temperature rises, the drying shrinkage and apparent porosity of the composites increase, while the compressive and bending strengths decrease. At the temperature range of 200°C–800°C, the residual compressive strength rates of… More >

Lei Guo^1,2,3, Zekun Wang¹, Lixia Guo^1,2,3,*, Pingping Chen¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.11, No.1, pp. 453-471, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2023.023315

Abstract Taking an industrial sludge and its preparation of sludge wrap shell aggregates (WSAs) instead of sand to prepare baking-free brick as the research object, the development law of mechanical properties and the influence mechanism of macro and micro characteristic parameters of the bricks under different sludge and WSAs replacement rates were studied through the macroscopic mechanical properties test, with the help of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), transmission electron microscopy-energy spectrum and other testing technology and pores and cracks analysis system (PCAS) software. The results showed that the compressive strength of each sample decreased with the increase of sludge content. When… More > Graphic Abstract

Xin Cai^1,2, Fan Li¹, Xingwen Guo^2,*, Ren Li³, Yanan Zhang¹, Qinghui Liu², Minmin Jiang⁴

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.11, No.1, pp. 103-130, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.022684

Abstract With the great impetus of energy conservation and emission reduction policies in various countries, the proposal of concepts such as “Sponge City” and “Eco-City”, and the emphasis on restoration and governance of ecological environment day by day, portland cement porous concrete (PCPC), as a novel building material, has attracted more and more attention from scientific researchers and engineers. PCPC possesses the peculiar pore structure, which owns numerous functions like river embankment protection, vegetation greening as well as air-cleaning, and has been of wide application in different engineering fields. This paper reviews the salient properties of PCPC, detailedly expounds the research… More > Graphic Abstract

Dianen Liang¹, Zhenhao Ding¹, Qilin Yan¹, Redžo Hasanagić², Leila Fathi³, Zi Yang¹, Longhao Li¹, Jianbo Wang¹, Houhua Luo¹, Qian Wang¹, Demiao Chu^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.11, No.1, pp. 435-451, 2023, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2022.023214

Abstract This study aims to improve the value of fast-growing wood and extend the heat-treated wood utilization using inorganic calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) crystals via an in-situ synthesis method. CaCl₂ and Na₂CO₃ solutions with a concentration ratio of 1:1 were successively introduced into the thermally modified poplar wood obtained by steam heat treatment (HT) at 200°C for 1.5 and 3 h, resulting in the in-situ synthesis of CaCO₃ crystals inside the heat-treated wood. The filling effect was best at the concentration of 1.2 mol/L. CaCO₃ was uniformly distributed in the cell cavities of the heat-treated wood, and some of the crystals were… More > Graphic Abstract