This brief describes a novel approach to overcome the disadvantages of
hemp fibres in cementitious composites. The authors describe how the new
approach includes the combination of thermal pre-treatment of nanoclay
(producing calcined nanoclay) and chemical pre-treatment of fibre
surfaces to improve the microstructure, mechanical, physical and thermal
properties and also durability of hemp fibre reinforced cement
composites. In this work, the synthesis of several materials are
studied: nanoclay-cement nanocomposite, calcined nanoclay-cement
nanocomposite, untreated & treated hemp fabric-reinforced cement
composite, hemp fabric-reinforced nanoclay-cement nanocomposite and
treated hemp fabric-reinforced nanoclay-cement nanocomposite. The
influence of nanoclay on properties of cement paste and hemp
fabric-reinforced cement composite is also presented together with the
influence of NaOH pre-treatment of fibre surfaces on properties of hemp
fabric-reinforced cement composite.
The authors have aimed this brief at those working on
environmental-friendly, biodegradable, building materials.