Type of materials, pyrolysis conditions, carbon content and size dimensions: The parameters that influence the mechanical properties of biochar cement-based composites

nterest in biochar, a sub-product of biomass pyrolysis, has increased enormously in the last few years, findingapplications in a wide variety of fields. In the present work, a standardized biochar was used as a nano/micro-filler in cement-based composites, ensuring the reproducibility of cement mixtures.Although, in terms of flexural strength and fracture energy, results were inferior compared to the previousstudies conducted at Politecnico di Torino. Nonetheless, an overall enhancement of mechanical properties wasrecorded with the introduction of standardized biochar in cementitious composites. This paper attempts to showthat some parameters of biochar processes, e.g. production, temperature, heating rate or pressure, as well assome biochar features such as carbon content, particle size distribution or porosity dramatically influence theenhancement of mechanical properties of cementitious composites. This result is extremely important, because itindicates that, even if the parameters are not optimal, biochar can be used to create new green building materialsbecause of its effectiveness in cementitious composites