Asbestos-free technology with new high toughness polypropylene (PP) fibers in air-cured Hatschek process

After almost 70 years of experience in the fiber-cement production in Brazil, Saint-Gobain Brasilit started the non-asbestos production using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber technology in 2002. Due to PVA costs and availability problems, efforts were done to develop a local high toughness polypropylene (PP) fiber, with improved frictional interface and better dispersion and affinity to Portland Cement matrix. In the last 5 years, more than 1.6 million tons of asbestos-free corrugated and flat sheets have been produced and commercialized representing about 200 million square meters. This paper reviews the alternative fibers for replacing asbestos and the reinforcing model in cement based products. It also presents the Brasilit high toughness polypropylene fibers properties, its manufacturing process and its mechanical performance and improved impact resistance behavior comparing to fiber-cement products available in the Brazilian market. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.