Use of Vine Shoot Waste for Manufacturing Innovative Reinforced Cement Composites

Due to the current concern with the environmental impacts produced by the construction industry, many studies have been conducted to capitalize on the advantages of waste to develop sustainable materials. The study reports an innovative, non-conventional cement-based composite material containing 10 wt.% vine shoot waste, representing a step forward toward the use of this lignocellulosic waste. The investigations were carried out using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and solid-state 27Al and 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The addition of vine shoot waste to the cement paste increases the amount of hydration products (calcium silicate hydrate (CSH), calcium hydroxide (CH), calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and ettringite), leading to a more compact and dense structure. The structural characterization techniques also confirmed the formation of a higher amount of hydration products in the case of vine shoot waste added to the cement paste.