Durable phosphate-bonded natural fiber composite products

The University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) and the Wisconsin Business Innovation Corporation (WBIC) conducted a preliminary study to determine the feasibility of producing composite building products utilizing waste pulp and paper mill residues and Ceramicrete®, an innovative chemically-bonded phosphate ceramic binder developed by the United States Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Specifically, the project was able to demonstrate that waste pulp and paper mill residues can be added to Ceramicrete® to create durable building materials, determine that the products have potential to meet industry performance standards and consumer acceptance tastes, and determine the preliminary manufacturing costs and economic feasibility of producing the new value-added products. We are beginning an extensive 3-year study to conduct the necessary technical and business/market developments tasks to bring the product concepts to commercialization.