Recycling paper waste into structural cellulose composites with enhanced mechanical and thermal performance

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Sustainable Engineering
• Waste Management

Background:

• Limited research exists on structural boards from recycled paper waste.
• Existing wood-panel markets (OSB, MDF) do not utilize simple paper waste processing.
• Cellulose waste recycling for construction is primarily limited to board-type composites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of producing rigid Polyurethane-Cellulose composite boards from ground waste newspapers.
• To evaluate the mechanical and thermal properties of these composite boards without a catalyst.
• To assess the feasibility of using paper recycling waste in construction materials.

Main Methods:

• Composite boards with 10-50 wt.% cellulose were manufactured via hot pressing.
• Evaluated properties included tensile strength, compressive strength, impact testing, TGA, DMA, and water vapor permeability.
• Ground waste newspapers were used as a filler material in a polyurethane matrix.

Main Results:

• Modulus of elasticity increased significantly with higher cellulose content (up to 50%).
• Maximum compressive strength was observed at 30% cellulose content.
• Improved thermal stability and increased stiffness/energy dissipation were noted with higher cellulose fractions.

Conclusions:

• Paper recycling waste can be processed into mechanically stable Polyurethane-Cellulose Boards.
• These boards are suitable for non-load-bearing applications in the construction sector.
• This represents a scalable method for converting cellulose waste into valuable construction products.