PROPERTIES AND USES OF CONSOLIDATED CORK DUST

Cork dust was consolidated without additives by heating under pressure. Four engineering properties of the compacted cork were measured: density, modulus, strength and fracture toughness. The thermal conductivity and the absorption of water by the compacted cork were also measured. The properties depend on the consolidation conditions, and (in a way which is not yet understood) on the origin of the cork dust itself, but not on particle size. The properties are compared with those of other common materials to identify possible uses.