Innovative Wood and Ceramicrete Composite Building Material

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Forest management agencies and environmental groups have recognized the need to reduce fuel load and increase use of small diameter timber thinnings in order to improve the health of the forest and prevent forest fires. It is difficult to cultivate demand for residues as they are neither of high value for building material nor available in large enough quantities for traditional pulp uses. Ceramicrete is a chemically bonded phosphate ceramic developed and patented by Argonne National Lab (ANL) to encapsulate hazardous materials. Based on literature from ANL, ceramicrete has twice the strength and approximately half the porosity of cement. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) approached Santa Clara Woodworks about developing an economical building material based upon a residual wood waste and ceramicrete. Evaluation of samples made at ANL and LANL indicate that the ceramicrete-wood composite has many positive properties, such as the ability to saw it easily, fasten with screws, and bond to it seamlessly. The potential for commercial development is high. Commercialization of wood/Ceramicrete composite building materials will enhance the efforts to remove unwanted and currently worthless biomass from overcrowded forests. An additional environmental benefit will be long-term carbon sequestration.