Evaluation of compatibility between sugarcane straw particles and Portland cement

Brazilian agro industries generate several types of crop residues and most of them show interesting properties for cement composite product ion. Among these residues, actually sugarcane straw particles (SCSP) are available in a great amo unt as a by-product of the sugarcane industries. However, residual sugar and other chemical products remain in the material’s structure. In the most of the cases, these compounds inhibit cement settin g. The aim of this research work was to evaluate, by means the hydration curve methodology, the perfo rmance of several treatments applied to the SCSP. Results indicated that mineralization was the most effective treatment and allows appropriate cement setting for the composite. SCSP treated by s oaking in sodium silicate solution at 4%, followed by a second soaking in aluminum sulfate at 10%, showed an appropriate cement setting.