Valorization of Waste Mineral Wool in Cementitious Composites
Summary
Waste mineral wool, comprising stone wool and glass wool fibres from construction, demolition and manufacturing processes, represents a significant under-utilised stream within construction and demolition waste. Its high silica, alumina and calcium content makes it a promising candidate for incorporation into cementitious systems as a supplementary cementitious material, fibre reinforcement or alkali-activated precursor. Valorization strategies encompass mechanical comminution to break down the fibrous structure, chemical activation to promote reactivity, and tailored mix designs that balance workability, strength and durability. When blended into Portland cement or geopolymers, finely milled mineral wool can accelerate early hydration, refine pore structure and enhance flexural performance. In alkali-activated matrices, it contributes both as a reactive source of silicates and aluminosilicate fibres that bridge microcracks, improving toughness and thermal stability. Integrating waste mineral wool into cementitious composites supports circular economy aims by reducing landfill demand, lowering embodied carbon through partial clinker or raw material replacement, and delivering novel high-performance building materials with comparable or superior mechanical and thermal properties to conventional concretes.
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Valorization of Waste Mineral Wool in Cementitious Composites publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in valorization of waste mineral wool in cementitious composites across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Mineral wool: Fibrous insulation material made by spinning molten rock or slag, consisting mainly of silica, alumina and calcium oxide.
Geopolymerisation: Alkali-driven polycondensation of aluminosilicate precursors to form a three-dimensional inorganic polymer network (often denoted N-A-S-H gel).
Alkali-activated material: Binder produced by reacting aluminosilicate sources with high-pH activators (e.g., sodium hydroxide or sodium silicate) to form cement-like phases.
N-A-S-H gel: Amorphous sodium aluminosilicate hydrate phase that provides mechanical strength in geopolymers.
Layered double hydroxide (LDH): Crystalline hydroxide phase incorporating divalent and trivalent cations in brucite-like layers, influencing binder durability and ion binding.
References
- Valorization of mineral wool waste in Class F fly ash geopolymer: Geopolymerization, macro properties, and high temperature behavior. Cement and Concrete Composites (2024).
- A circular approach to stone wool: Alkali-activated lightweight aggregates. Developments in the Built Environment (2024).
- Dissolution-precipitation reactions of silicate mineral fibers at alkaline pH. Cement and Concrete Research (2022).
- Waste Mineral Wool and Its Opportunities—A Review. Materials (2021).
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