Correlation Between Chemical Composition of Tropical Hardwoods and Wood–Cement Compatibility

The objective of this study was to evaluate the compatibility degrees among primary sawing residues of eight different hardwoods from Amazonia and Portland cement type II-Z and correlate them with their chemical composition. The compatibility degree was expressed using the Inhibitory Index and the chemical characteristics were obtained by quantitative methods of extraction and analytical pyrolysis. From the species studied, five of them were classified as low inhibitory: Eschweilera coriacea, Inga paraensis, Inga alba, Pouteria guianensis, and Byrsonima crispa. There was no significant correlation between polar or non-polar soluble extractives and cement set inhibition. However, the Swartzia recurva samples with arabinose content were directly correlated with the cement inhibition. This effect also occurs with Larix because the alkali solution of the reaction cleaves the linkage between lignin and hemicellulose/cellulose and produces higher amounts of degraded polysaccharides which are responsible for the inhibition.