Development of technology for the manufacture of fibro-cement tiles without asbestos

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to develop a new technology for the production of cement tiles reinforced with cellulose and plastic fibers, for the production of tiles by the modified Hatschek process. The international trend in the civil engineering and building market is for competition based on new technology for composites. On the other hand, the Brazilian building industry, in its residential, industrial and farming sectors, is showing a robust demand for low cost systems, with a rational use of labor and reduction of waste. Also to be observed is the worldwide tendency for the use in the building industry of materials reinforced with fibers, as they offer the possibility to produce slim components, in addition to enhanced energy absorption when struck by sharp forces. Cellulosic fibers are a renewable raw material that has been accepted internationally for over 20 years, in countries such as Australia and the United States. In developing countries too, natural fibers have aroused interest, as reinforcement for fragile cementbased matrixes, due to their low cost, their availability in wood and also fibrous plants, due to the possibility of using fibers considered sub-products of other applications (rope-making, textile industry, paper industry), due to energy savings, and also to environmental issues. With adaptations, these fibers are suitable for production on Hatschek equipment. The principal stages of this study comprised the formulation of the fibrous composite, through the selection and preparation of the fibers and the cement matrix; advice on the adaptation of a Hatschek-type industrial production line, in each partner company; the determination of the mechanical, physical, chemical and microstructural properties of the new material; and the verification of the acceptable performance of the materials and of their durability. (AU)