Fiber reinforced cement composite materials using chemically treated fibers with improved dispersibility

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A fiber-reinforced building material in one embodiment incorporates cellulose fibers that are chemically treated with a dispersant to impart improved dispersibility to the fibers. The fibers are treated with a dispersant which deactivates the hydroxyl sites of the fiber surfaces and in some cases making , the fiber surface more hydrophobic. The dispersant inhibits the hydroxyl groups on the cellulose fiber surface from bonding with hydroxyl groups of other fibers and from bonding with hydroxyl groups of the same fiber thereby , significantly reducing inter-fiber and intra-fiber hydrogen bonding. The chemically treated fibers with improved dispersibility improve the fiber distribution …