Softwood-Based Biochar in the Design of Cement-Blended Binders with Advanced Properties

Biomass residues from the agricultural industry, logging and wood processing activities have become a valuable fuel source. If processed under pyrolysis combustion, several products are generated. Bio-oil and gases are essential alternatives to fossil coal-based fuels for energy and electricity prod...

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Main Authors: Jaroslav Pokorný, Radek Ševčík, Lucie Zárybnická, Jiří Šál, Luboš Podolka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/11/1949
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author Jaroslav Pokorný
Radek Ševčík
Lucie Zárybnická
Jiří Šál
Luboš Podolka
author_facet Jaroslav Pokorný
Radek Ševčík
Lucie Zárybnická
Jiří Šál
Luboš Podolka
author_sort Jaroslav Pokorný
collection DOAJ
description Biomass residues from the agricultural industry, logging and wood processing activities have become a valuable fuel source. If processed under pyrolysis combustion, several products are generated. Bio-oil and gases are essential alternatives to fossil coal-based fuels for energy and electricity production, whose need is constantly growing. Biochar, the porous carbon-based lightweight product, often ends up as a soil fertilizer. However, it can be applied in other industrial sectors, e.g., in plastics production or in modifying cementitious materials intended for construction needs. This work dealt with the application of small amounts of softwood-based biochar up to 2.0 wt.% on hydration kinetics and a wide range of physical and mechanical properties, such as water transport characteristics and flexural and compressive strengths of modified cement pastes. In the comparison with reference specimens, the biochar incorporation into cement pastes brought benefits like the reduction of open porosity, improvement of strength properties, and decreased capillary water absorption of 7-day and 28-day-cured cement pastes. Moreover, biochar-dosed cement pastes showed an increase in heat evolution during the hydration process, accompanied by higher consumption of clinker minerals. Considering all examined characteristics, the optimal dosage of softwood-derived biochar of 1.0 wt.% of Portland cement can be recommended.
format Article
id doaj-art-097d9a659a1840448f77aa7568ca1d64
institution OA Journals
issn 2075-5309
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publisher MDPI AG
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series Buildings
spelling doaj-art-097d9a659a1840448f77aa7568ca1d642025-08-20T02:33:06ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-06-011511194910.3390/buildings15111949Softwood-Based Biochar in the Design of Cement-Blended Binders with Advanced PropertiesJaroslav Pokorný0Radek Ševčík1Lucie Zárybnická2Jiří Šál3Luboš Podolka4Institute of Technology and Business, Faculty of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Okružní 517/10, 370 01 České Budějovice, Czech RepublicInstitute of Technology and Business, Faculty of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Okružní 517/10, 370 01 České Budějovice, Czech RepublicInstitute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prosecká 809/76, 190 00 Praha, Czech RepublicInstitute of Technology and Business, Faculty of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Okružní 517/10, 370 01 České Budějovice, Czech RepublicInstitute of Technology and Business, Faculty of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Okružní 517/10, 370 01 České Budějovice, Czech RepublicBiomass residues from the agricultural industry, logging and wood processing activities have become a valuable fuel source. If processed under pyrolysis combustion, several products are generated. Bio-oil and gases are essential alternatives to fossil coal-based fuels for energy and electricity production, whose need is constantly growing. Biochar, the porous carbon-based lightweight product, often ends up as a soil fertilizer. However, it can be applied in other industrial sectors, e.g., in plastics production or in modifying cementitious materials intended for construction needs. This work dealt with the application of small amounts of softwood-based biochar up to 2.0 wt.% on hydration kinetics and a wide range of physical and mechanical properties, such as water transport characteristics and flexural and compressive strengths of modified cement pastes. In the comparison with reference specimens, the biochar incorporation into cement pastes brought benefits like the reduction of open porosity, improvement of strength properties, and decreased capillary water absorption of 7-day and 28-day-cured cement pastes. Moreover, biochar-dosed cement pastes showed an increase in heat evolution during the hydration process, accompanied by higher consumption of clinker minerals. Considering all examined characteristics, the optimal dosage of softwood-derived biochar of 1.0 wt.% of Portland cement can be recommended.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/11/1949softwood residuesbiocharcement bindercement pastewater transport characteristicsmechanical properties
spellingShingle Jaroslav Pokorný
Radek Ševčík
Lucie Zárybnická
Jiří Šál
Luboš Podolka
Softwood-Based Biochar in the Design of Cement-Blended Binders with Advanced Properties
Buildings
softwood residues
biochar
cement binder
cement paste
water transport characteristics
mechanical properties
title Softwood-Based Biochar in the Design of Cement-Blended Binders with Advanced Properties
title_full Softwood-Based Biochar in the Design of Cement-Blended Binders with Advanced Properties
title_fullStr Softwood-Based Biochar in the Design of Cement-Blended Binders with Advanced Properties
title_full_unstemmed Softwood-Based Biochar in the Design of Cement-Blended Binders with Advanced Properties
title_short Softwood-Based Biochar in the Design of Cement-Blended Binders with Advanced Properties
title_sort softwood based biochar in the design of cement blended binders with advanced properties
topic softwood residues
biochar
cement binder
cement paste
water transport characteristics
mechanical properties
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/11/1949
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AT luciezarybnicka softwoodbasedbiocharinthedesignofcementblendedbinderswithadvancedproperties
AT jirisal softwoodbasedbiocharinthedesignofcementblendedbinderswithadvancedproperties
AT lubospodolka softwoodbasedbiocharinthedesignofcementblendedbinderswithadvancedproperties