Effect of Waste Paper Fiber on Properties of Cement-based Mortar and Relative Mechanism

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of waste paper fiber on the properties of cement-based mortar and the relative mechanism. The cement-based mortars with various contents and mixing way of waste paper fibers were prepared and the slump flow, setting time and strength developments of all mortars were tested. Besides, Ca(OH)2 content in hardened pastes at different ages and the microstructures of all mortar at 90d were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results showed that in the process of mixing, more superplastizier was consumed to maintain the workability because of the absorption of water and superplastizer on waste paper fiber. With more waste paper fiber being added, longer setting time is available for the pastes with it because of the carbohydrate dissolving and its retarding to the cement hydration. Waste paper fiber is adverse to the early and later strength of cement-based mortar, but it increases the mortar strengths at 7 and 28 d. The strength, Ca(OH)2 content and microstructure are related to the content and mixing way of waste paper fiber. Waste paper fiber helps produce the Ca(OH)2 at 7 and 28 d, but this case is reverse at ages of 1 and 3 d. Overall, waste paper fiber leads to the appearance of more pores in the hardened paste. However, it increases the toughness of cement-based mortar.