Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 10.1: Basic plant materials which need little processing
Material
Areas of use
Softwood and hardwood
Structures, cladding, floors, roof covering, windows, doors, plugs,
wood fibre, tar, wood vinegar, cellulose, adhesives, alcohol, terpenes
Climbing plants
Wall cladding, improving internal climate and micro-climate outside
Roots
Starch
Straw and grass
Roof covering, wall cladding, cellulose
Grass turf
Roof covering, minor structures
Peat turf
Fibres, thermal insulation, cellulose, alcohol
Lichen
Pigment
Moss
Fibres, thermal insulation
Citrus fruits
Oils, terpenes
Plants containing silica
Pozzolana
Table 10.2: Basic plant materials which need a large amount of processing
Material
Areas of use
Cellulose
Wallpapers, paper in plastic laminates, ingredient in plastics
Oils
Paint, green soap, linoleum, solvents
Alcohol
Solvents
Terpenes
Solvents
Plant fibres
Thermal insulation, concrete reinforcement, building boards, sealants,
carpeting, wallpaper, canvas, linoleum
Pozzolana
Ingredient in pozzolana cements
Vinegar
Impregnation, alcohol, acetic acid for the production of plastics
Wood tar
Impregnation, surface treatment
Starch
Adhesives, paint
All plants contain carbohydrates in the form of sugar, starch and cellulose.
These are the most important nutritional and accumulative substances in the
organisms. Sugar is formed in the green parts of the plant by carbon dioxide from
air and water subjected to sunlight.
6CO 2 + 6H 2 O + 2822 kJ = C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2
(1)
During this reaction oxygen is released. The plant later transforms the sugar to
starch and cellulose. Cellulose builds up the cells and the starch is stored.
When the plant dies, it degrades back to carbon dioxide, water and ash.
Oxygen is a necessary ingredient for this process. If there is very little or no
oxygen, the plant becomes peat, which after millions of years may become coal
and oil.
 
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