Bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar

The construction industry faces growing pressure to adopt sustainable materials that enhance both structural performance and environmental benefits. This study investigates the potential of bamboo biochar as a sustainable filler to strengthen cement mortar while contributing to CO₂ sequestration. Th...

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Main Authors: Chin, Siew Choo, Pravina K., Gunasekaran, Che, Jialing, Anand, N., Jolius, Gimbun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier Ltd 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45167/
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author Chin, Siew Choo
Pravina K., Gunasekaran
Che, Jialing
Anand, N.
Jolius, Gimbun
author_facet Chin, Siew Choo
Pravina K., Gunasekaran
Che, Jialing
Anand, N.
Jolius, Gimbun
author_sort Chin, Siew Choo
building UMP Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The construction industry faces growing pressure to adopt sustainable materials that enhance both structural performance and environmental benefits. This study investigates the potential of bamboo biochar as a sustainable filler to strengthen cement mortar while contributing to CO₂ sequestration. The primary objective is to evaluate the effects of bamboo biochar addition, alongside carbonation treatment, on the mechanical properties of cement mortar. The surface morphology of the biochar was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, while mortar mixes with varying water-to-cement (w/c) ratios (0.45–0.55) and biochar dosages (2 %–8 %) were prepared. Flowability, compressive, and flexural strength tests were conducted on samples cured for 7–56 days, with a control mix for comparison. Results revealed that a 6 % biochar addition with a w/c ratio of 0.45 yielded optimal performance, achieving compressive and flexural strengths of 46.98 MPa and 9.60 MPa, respectively. Carbonation further enhanced these strengths by up to 24 % and 9 %, while biochar incorporation increased CO₂ sequestration by 53 % compared to the control. These findings demonstrate that bamboo biochar not only improves mechanical strength through mechanisms such as internal curing, filler effect, nucleation, and improved interfacial bonding but also contributes to carbon capture. This dual benefit underscores its significance as a promising material for sustainable and resilient construction practices.
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spelling ump-451672025-09-30T07:29:04Z https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45167/ Bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar Chin, Siew Choo Pravina K., Gunasekaran Che, Jialing Anand, N. Jolius, Gimbun TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) TH Building construction TP Chemical technology The construction industry faces growing pressure to adopt sustainable materials that enhance both structural performance and environmental benefits. This study investigates the potential of bamboo biochar as a sustainable filler to strengthen cement mortar while contributing to CO₂ sequestration. The primary objective is to evaluate the effects of bamboo biochar addition, alongside carbonation treatment, on the mechanical properties of cement mortar. The surface morphology of the biochar was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, while mortar mixes with varying water-to-cement (w/c) ratios (0.45–0.55) and biochar dosages (2 %–8 %) were prepared. Flowability, compressive, and flexural strength tests were conducted on samples cured for 7–56 days, with a control mix for comparison. Results revealed that a 6 % biochar addition with a w/c ratio of 0.45 yielded optimal performance, achieving compressive and flexural strengths of 46.98 MPa and 9.60 MPa, respectively. Carbonation further enhanced these strengths by up to 24 % and 9 %, while biochar incorporation increased CO₂ sequestration by 53 % compared to the control. These findings demonstrate that bamboo biochar not only improves mechanical strength through mechanisms such as internal curing, filler effect, nucleation, and improved interfacial bonding but also contributes to carbon capture. This dual benefit underscores its significance as a promising material for sustainable and resilient construction practices. Elsevier Ltd 2025 Article PeerReviewed pdf en cc_by_4 https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45167/1/Chin%202025%20NM.pdf Chin, Siew Choo and Pravina K., Gunasekaran and Che, Jialing and Anand, N. and Jolius, Gimbun (2025) Bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar. Next Materials, 9 (100959). pp. 1-11. ISSN 2949-8228. (Published) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxmate.2025.100959 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxmate.2025.100959 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nxmate.2025.100959
spellingShingle TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
TH Building construction
TP Chemical technology
Chin, Siew Choo
Pravina K., Gunasekaran
Che, Jialing
Anand, N.
Jolius, Gimbun
Bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar
title Bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar
title_full Bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar
title_fullStr Bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar
title_full_unstemmed Bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar
title_short Bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar
title_sort bamboo biochar and carbonation enhanced the compressive and flexural strength of cement mortar
topic TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)
TH Building construction
TP Chemical technology
url https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45167/
https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45167/
https://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/45167/