Recycled Bio-polymer feather fibre reinforcement for cement-based materials

Abstract

The poultry production industry is an economically important agriculture-based activity worldwide. The industry leads to the production of significant waste including large quantities of feathers with challenges associated with disposal. Keratin-rich feather fibre can be used in an innovative way as reinforcement in cement-based construction materials such as low-impact concrete addressing the principles of circular economy. Feathers have been utilised in different ways; as whole fibres, hand-cut rachis, ground fibres and a combination of both feather fibres and ground feathers. Feather fibre cement-based materials have been used for the creation of feather-board as a low-cost material which can be utilised for non-structural applications. Investigations in feather fibre cement-based materials also refer to the effect on mechanical characteristics, setting time and hydration characteristics.