Hydration tests of four wood composites particles with cement

Contaminated waste wood is a highly variable material, which makes it challenging to use in recycling applications. One of the potential recycling applications could be wood-cement composites, assuming the composition of the wood composite does not hinder the hydration of cement. In this study, four wood composite types (plywood (PLY), alkaline copper quaternary-treated plywood (ACQ PLY), oriented strand board (OSB) and particleboard (PB)) were ground and sieved into fraction size. Length, width, and thickness of particles from the 2–4 mm and 4–10 mm fractions were then characterized, and the slenderness ratio and specific surface area calculated. Using particles from the four wood composite types and both fractions, hydration tests were conducted, and the compatibility factor computed. The results demonstrated there was little effect of size fractions on the slenderness ratio and specific surface area. However, the wood composite type did impact slenderness ratio and specific surface area, with OSB particles being characterized by the largest slenderness ratio and specific surface area. As expected from their slenderness ratio, but contradictory to their high specific surface area values, OSB particles were characterized by a high compatibility factor. But so were the PLY and ACQ PLY particles, which was unexpected based on their slenderness ratio. Of all hydration curves, only PB particles did not have a second temperature peak and preliminary cement-bonded boards made with PB particles were very brittle. The compatibility factor alone should not be used to assess compatibility of wood composite with cement.