Effects of Adding Pretreated Chestnut (Bertholletia excelsa) Mesocarp Fibers to Fiber-Cement Boards

Mori-Seminario C.E.; Gonzaáles-Mor H.E.; Gamarra-Bustamante J.A.; Cárdenas-Oscanoa A.J. · Colombia Forestal (2026) · DOI: 10.14483/2256201x.23488

Resumen

Natural fibers have gained relevance due to their renewable nature, which makes them promising candidates as reinforcement materials. Chestnut (Bertholletia excelsa) mesocarp fibers have been found to be suitable for incorporation into fiber-cement boards. In this work, two types of boards were produced, with fiber contents of 3, 6, and 9%: one type used fibers pretreated in a 10% NaOH alkali solution, and the other one was left untreated. Comprehensive chemical and analytical assessments were carried out, accompanied by mechanical performance evaluations. The pretreatment reduced the fiber holocellulose content by 5.32%. Incorporating chestnut fibers decreased the board density by up to 13%, regardless of the treatment. The most favorable outcomes regarding the reduction in thickness (up to 3.4% compared to the control group) were observed in samples containing 3% fiber. Notably, boards with pretreated fibers surpassed the Peruvian national standards by 10%. These results position chestnut mesocarp fibers as a promising reinforcement for fiber-cement boards and warrant further investigation. © (2026), (Universidad Distrital Francisco Jose de Caldas). All right reserved.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina