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This study was designed to examine the feasibility of recycling cassava effluent, sawdust, and unused paper products to enhance their utilization for beneficial purpose. Waste newspaper paste (WNP), Waste writing – paper paste (WWP), and Waste carton paper paste (WCP) were prepared and then used separately to similarly fabricate composite panels with Sawdust particle (SDP) proportioned at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% by weight. The binder used was cassava starch slurry prepared from the effluent. Bulk density, water absorption, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, nailability, and flexural strength were determined for the developed samples. From the results obtained, the samples were found to be light-weight and their thermal insulation performance improved with increasing proportions of the SDP. Though samples containing the WCP exhibited the best satisfactory performance, it was found that all the studied samples could perform more effectively and efficiently as ceilings compared to some of those reported in the literature. From scientific-economic viewpoint, valorizing the above-mentioned wastes as described in this paper could help to protect the environment and also yield value-added insulation ceilings for enhancement of sustainable building construction especially in tropical areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature is flooded with scientific information on most durability properties except water absorption coefficient of masonry units like sandcrete blocks. Also, while waste papers disposal is a systemic problem due to ineffectiveness of waste management system in developing countries, the price of cement is on the increase. This situation, ultimately, causes a bane in achievement of low-cost housing development considering the fact that sandcrete blocks are predominantly used as walling elements for such undertakings. In this study, solid core sandcrete blocks were produced with waste paper ash (WPA) utilized as partial replacement of cement at 5 % and 10 % volumetric levels. Chemically, the WPA was found to show similarity with cement in terms of SiO2, Al2O3, and CaO contents. Density and water absorption coefficient of the block samples were determined. While density ranged from 1682 to 1872 kg/m3, water absorption coefficient varied from 27.04 to 23.49 kg/m2h0.5. Statistically, no significant difference was revealed at p < 0.05 between experimentally-measured water absorption coefficients and those obtained using the model developed for prediction based on density of the samples. Thus, utilization of WPA as described herein could help to reduce the cost of procuring cement and in turn, enhance low-cost building construction. Also, with the developed model (showing dependence of water absorption coefficient on density), durability of sandcrete blocks exposed to moisture –prone environment could be easily predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Just like disposal of waste papers by indiscriminate dumping, stabilisation of clay soil using cement or by firing has a potential adverse effect on the environment and public health. Thus, the essence of this work was to investigate the feasibility of chemically modifying clay soils using waste papers in order to solve the disposal problems and also develop clay-based composites suitable for building purposes. Hydrothermally calcined waste paper ash nanomaterial (HCWPAN) was prepared from assorted waste papers and used to separately develop composites with white clay matrix (WCC) and yellow clay matrix (YCC) each at 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, and 40 % volumetric proportions of replacement. Three representative samples were developed in each case. Apparent porosity, water absorption, bulk density, sorptivity, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, volumetric heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, thermal lag, flaking concentration, flexural strength, and compressive strength were investigated for all the samples. For satisfactory performance during service, the optimum content level of the HCWPAN was found to be 10 % in the samples. Though the WCC sample possessed greater compressive strength (4.029 ± 0.002) MPa than the value (2.895 ± 0.002) MPa obtained for the YCC sample at that level, the latter exhibited greater potential for enhancement of thermal comfort as a walling element in buildings. Also, reductions from 8.98 % to 8.00 % and 13.30 % to 12.575 % were observed in water absorption of the resulting WCC and YCC samples, respectively. From the technical–economic viewpoint, the HCWPAN is a promising material for clay soil modification for building purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to assess the possibility of tailoring waste papers and wood dust into composite materials with plaster of Paris (P.O.P) and also determine the suitability of using the developed composites as ceiling panels in building construction. Assorted un-used papers collected as waste materials were processed into waste paper ash (WPA) which was then after utilized like untreated wood dust (UWD) and treated wood dust (TWD) as filler materials to separately, but at similar volumetric proportions, fabricate test samples with P.O.P as matrix. Static angle of repose and major chemical constituents of the fillers were determined. The results of the tests performed on the samples revealed that increase in the proportion of each filler material resulted to decrease in bulk density, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and flexural strength but increase in percentage water absorption, specific heat capacity, thermal resistance, heat penetration time, and flaking concentration. Sample developed with 36.7 % of the WPA and the one containing 25.0 % of the TWD exhibited impressive performance ability similar to sample fabricated with 18.3 % of the UWD. Though the most significant improvement in thermal insulating ability over the pure P.O.P sample was observed in the case of samples developed with the UWD, it was found that the proportion of each filler material incorporated into the P.O.P matrix can be adjusted to achieve optimum performance desired of the resulting composite panel during its usage as a ceiling in building. From technical–economic point of view, utilizing waste papers and wood dust as raw materials in the production of new and value-added engineering materials, as in the present study, is a promising possibility of reducing the cost of P.O.P for enhancement of affordable housing, thereby meeting the needs of end-users and also ensure minimization of health hazards associated with paper and wood dust wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]