Development and characterization of low carbon cementitious composites reinforced with jute fabric subjected to CO2 curing

The use of construction and demolition waste (CDW) and metakaolin (MK) in cement-based materials is an attractive strategy to recycle waste and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) 2 ) emissions generated during cement production. Furthermore, the proper use of CO2 2 capture during the curing process of cementitious materials offers a new perspective for the development of new eco-materials with a low carbon footprint, in addition to optimizing and reducing the curing time of composites and providing greater adhesion fiber and matrix. The study aims to prepare and characterize the flat sheets composed of ternary matrices (cement, CDW and MK) and reinforced with 5 % horned jute fabric, subjected to thermal curing (TC) and accelerated carbonation process (CO2 2 curing) for 6, 9 and 24 h. Ternary mixes were prepared with up to 55 % replacement (5 %CDW, 50-45 %MK) of Portland cement (PC) with supplementary cementitious materials (SCM). The physical, mechanical, microstructural, and fracture patterns of the composites were analyzed, and the degree of carbonation was determined by thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). High levels of SCM associated with CO2 2 curing produced a matrix free of calcium hydroxide (CH) with low porosity near the interfacial zone, improving the fiber-matrix interface, providing greater load transfer between matrix and reinforcement, resulting in significant increases in the modulus of rupture, specific energy and first crack stress.