Autoclaved cellulose fibre reinforced cement: Effects of silica fume

With the aim of developing vegetable-fibre cement composites free of portlandite and with short curing process, this study analyses the influence of the curing conditions and the addition of pozzolanic material on the hydration of Portland cement–fibre matrices. Different specimens of cement composites with and without cellulose fibres and with and without silica fume were cured using autoclaving steam and normal curing. The hydration products and the microstructure of the resulting pastes were analysed by means of FTIR and BSE–SEM and the degree of hydration was quantified with Image analysis. The results indicate that the hydration products and the hardness of the pastes depend on the three analysed factors: curing method, silica fume, and presence of fibres.