Utilization of wastes from medium density fiberboards production as an aggregate for lightweight cement composite

The possibility of recycling waste from medium density fiberboard (MDF) production into wood-cement composites was evaluated. A large quantity of lignocellulosic wastes is generated worldwide from various sources, including wood and furniture industries, leading to environmental concerns. Medium density fiberboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product, which is made from wood fibers (mainly form coniferous trees) with wax and a resin binder. This paper presents an experimental study which investigated the potential utilization of medium density fiberboard wastes (MDFW) for producing lightweight insulation concrete. The wastes were screened on #8 mm sieve to exlude big irregular elements which could negatively affect compaction and strength properties. All lignocellulosic substrates have detrimental effects on cement setting so different techniques were applied to offset the retarding effect of compounds like sugar and tannin present in the bio-based particles before mixing the wastes with cement. One type of cement CEM I 42,5 R was used in the experiment. Flexural strength, compressive strength in air-dry and wet states, and water absorption of lightweight concrete were tested. Compressive strength ranging from 0,5 to 5.3 MPa was obtained depending on the material used for the initial impregnation of MDFW fibers.