Recycled Plaster: Physical and Mechanical Properties

Commercial plasier (CaSO4 center dot 1/2H(2)O) is a material used in building construction all over the world. This construction material is used renderings in internal and dry environment because it is soluble in water. According to different studies, the plaster manually applied as renderings produces high volume of material loss (values varying from 18% to 35%). In this way, the aim of this work was to study the physical and mechanical properties from pastes made with commercial plaster and pastes obtained from hydrated plaster that was lost from their applications (recycled plaster). The recycled plaster was grounded and burnt at different temperatures in order to loose its non-evaporated water and to make possible its reuse as binder. After burning, their physical and mechanical properties were studied. The results showed that recycled plaster had a good performance as binder. Their physical and mechanical properties related to commercial plaster were very similar. In this way, the results show that it is possible to reuse the recycled plaster as binder again, which permit to contribute to a sustainable construction.