Properties of eco-friendly mortars produced by partial cement replacement with waste cork particles: a feasibility study

Cement production is among the most important contributors to global CO2 emissions. Partial replacement of cement with waste cork granules in mortars simultaneously enables the reduction of CO2 emissions and cork waste while achieving some improved material properties. Therefore, in the current study, cement content in the mortar formulations was partially replaced with waste cork particles. The produced mortars with 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2% of waste cork (wt%) with two different cork granulometry were investigated for normal consistency, setting time, density, compressive and bending strengths, and thermal conductivity properties. The results show that mortar density decreases up to 8% with cork additions. Mortar strength in bending and compression decreases 11% and 42%, respectively, for 2% cork incorporation in mortars. Microscopic analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a good adhesion between cork particles and cement. Cement-cork replacement had the greatest impact on the thermal conductivity of the mortars which was reduced up to 61%, showing that mortars with improved thermal insulation properties were produced.