Title:
Cement-Cellulose Excelsior Composites: Accounting for Moisture
Author(s):
Naveen Krishnan, O. Burkan Isgor, and W. Jason Weiss
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
123
Issue:
1
Appears on pages(s):
51-62
Keywords:
absorption; cellulose; cellulose-cement composites (C3); centrifuge; desorption isotherm; isothermal calorimetry; moisture content
DOI:
10.14359/51749250
Date:
1/1/2026
Abstract:
Cellulose excelsior (CE), sometimes referred to as wood wool, is a shredded wood product with a strand thickness of 0.12 to 0.64 mm, a width that is up to three times the thickness, and a straw-like consistency. CE can be combined with cementitious materials to form cellulose-cement composite (C3) materials. The production of C3 materials requires accurate methods to quantify the moisture in the CE. This paper describes a methodology to obtain the surface-dry state repeatably by using a centrifuge and an approach to control water content, which can be used to provide consistency in C3 production. The mixture water absorbed by the CE can be estimated from the desorption isotherm when the relative humidity of the CE is greater than 80%. Isothermal calorimetry was used to confirm the accuracy of using the desorption model to quantify the water uptake.
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