plaster research
DESCRIPTION
Research on plaster for Materials and Technology as part of MFAID at Parsons Newschool of DesignTRANSCRIPT
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
w h a t i s i t ?w h e r e i s i t f r o m ?
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
Gypsum (calcium sulphate di-hydrate) is an abundant natural mineral. It originates from the drying out of ancient seas and is quarried (or mined if deep) in many parts of the world.
Although most gypsum is used in the building industry, an increasing proportion is now being used in agriculture and horticulture. Here, it is very useful for improving the textural and drainage properties of heavy (clay) soils. Gypsum is also an excellent calcium and sulphur fertiliser. Its special benefits are that horticultural gypsum is fast acting and pH neutral (contrasting with other calcium fertilisers that are slower and either raise or lower soil pH).
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
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Plaster of Paris got its name because it used to be made from gypsum quarried from Montmartre in Paris. Plaster of Paris is made from powdered gypsum by heating it to about 160°C (305°F). The heat drives off some of the water changing calcium sulphate di-hydrate (di means two) to calcium sulphate hemi-hydrate (hemi means half). Chemists write this:
CaSO4.2H2O -> CaSO4. ½ H2O + 1½ H2O.
Anhydrous calcium sulphate (CaSO4). It is found naturally as a mineral or it may be made from GYPSUM by removing the water of crystallisation, usually by heating above 163°C (325°F). Anhydrite produced from gypsum is more reactive than the naturally occurring mineral.
Dictionary of Architectural and Building Technology, Fourth edition.
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/crystal-giants/shea-text
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/crystal-giants/shea-text
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
Gypsum is very safe. But –
DO NOT attempt to make a cast enclosing any part of the body with 'Plaster of Paris'. Failure to follow these instructions may cause severe burns that may require surgical removal of the affected tissue.
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
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Gypsum Board is the generic name for sheet materials with a non-combustible gypsum core, covered with a paper surface. Used for walls, ceilings, and partitions, it began to replace plaster in the 50’s because of the following;
Cost, sound, fire resistance, structural capacity, aesthetics, overall utility and function. Fast + Low-cost installation / Easily decorated / Lightweight / Durable / Sound Control / Fire resistance
Asbestos was added to plaster to increase the fire-resistance which is now banned in most countries.
A significant amount of drywall is now constructed from synthetic gypsum – which utilises petroleum based ingredients to increase strength and flexibility.
d r y w a l l / s h e e t r o c k / G I B …
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
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d i s p o s a l
1.8 million tons of drywall is wasted as scrap each year in the US. (15 million tons produced per year with around 15-20% of this recycled)Binggeli, Corky. Materials for Interior Environments. Wiley. 2007.
Drywall constitutes approx. 15% ofC&D landfill
‘36 percent of all residential and commercial solid waste generated in Massachusetts’http://www.epa.gov/region1/solidwaste/cnd/
American Recycler, Volume 13, Issue 3, March 2010
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
d i s p o s a l
According to the New Zealand Ecolabelling Trust approximately 20% by weight of all waste going to landfill is construction and demolition (C&D) waste and of this approximately 12% is gypsum plasterboard (ie, 2.4% of all landfill waste is gypsum plasterboard).
Waste Plasterboard Composting Literature ReviewPrepared for the Ministry for the Environment September 2008
BRANZ (The Building Research Association of New Zealand) estimate that between 5% and 20% of C&D waste is plasterboard (Jaques, 1999)
http://www.gypsumrecycling.co.uk
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
Organic wasteRain water
What is the concern about gypsum waste in the landfills ?Gypsum = CaSO4 2H2O (calcium sulphate dihydrate)
S = Sulphur
* Sulphur will be mixed with organic waste and water in an environment without oxygen* Leachate will contain sulphur and water
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
* In addition leachate from gypsum waste will contain sulfur that could contaminate the ground water
Consequently gypsum waste should only be diposed of in landfills with membranes and the proper leachate management systems = not inert landfills
* Potentially lethal hydrogen sulfite gasses (H2S) will develop in the landfill
Consequently gypsum waste should not be landfilled in the same landfill cell as organic/biodegradable waste; mono-cells for gypsum are required for safe landfilling
Organic wasteRain waterS = Sulphur
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
p l a s t e r / / m a t e r i a l s + t e c h n o l o g y r e s e a r c h
r e c y c l i n g + r e - u s eYou can even recycle your old plaster castings. Smash the old plaster to a powder with a hammer. Work on a concrete step - not on the kitchen floor! Try to keep the pile of powder from spreading out too much. The more you smash, the finer the powder. Heat your gypsum powder in the oven to 160°C for 40 minutes. Let it cool and see if it sets when you add water?
http://www.gypsum.co.nz/pages/product/kids.php#todo
Gypsum board’s ecological value used to be based on the recycled content of the facing papers – which amounts to roughly 6% of the weight of a single sheet.
So – with paper making up around 6% of the weight of drywall, then most of the content is set plaster of paris, and if you can re-cycle it yourself then surely it can be done on a larger scale relatively easily?
Why is it not being done?
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
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Fermacell is produced using ordinary materials in an extraordinary way. Recycled gypsum, recycled cellulose fibres from post consumer waste paper and recycled water are combined to form a homogenous mass, which is then formed into a dense sheet material. After drying, the large format boards are cut to size.
The manufacturing technique is not only unique because of the material it produces, but also due to the fact that the process itself is fully recycling – all by-products are fed back into the system, ensuring no waste is produced. Both the product and the process have been awarded the coveted Rosenheim Institute of Construction Biology and Ecology certificate.
f e r m a c e l l
http://www.fermacell-drylining.co.uk/about-us/gypsum-fire-board
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
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s y n t h e t i c g y p s u m
Pitched as being ‘environmentally friendly’
Synthetic gypsum is a waste product of coal-fueld plant combustion. Again, the larger question arises as to whether it is wise to provide a market for a product of a polluting process. All this points to the frequent balancing of one environmental attribute over another.
Burke. Bill, and Keeler, Marian. Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building.
r e p o r t / / p l a s t e rm a t e r i a l s + p e r f o r m a n c e / / p g i d . 5 1 2 2l e e g i b s o n g i b s l 4 3 5 @ n e w s c h o o l . e d u
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Plaster is considered a hygroscopic material – that is if plaster is covered in a hygroscopic paint, excess moisture can be absorbed by the plaster through the surface coating. If this moisture carries any contaminants (VOC’s) the chemicals can be deposited and broken down giving these materials a degree of air-cleansing capacity.
Smith, Peter F. Eco-Refurbishment; A Guide to Saving and Producing Energy in the Home. Elsevier. Burlington, MA. 2004.
a i r q u a l i t y
REFERENCES;
Bahamon, Alejandro, and Sanjines, Maria Camila. Rematerial: From Waste to Architecture. W.W. Norton & Company. New York. 2008.Burke. Bill, and Keeler, Marian. Fundamentals of Integrated Design for Sustainable Building.Gypsum Construction Handbook. Published for The Construction Industry by United States Gypsum Company. United States Gypsum Company. USA. 1992. Mostedi, Arian. Sustainable Architecture; Low Tech Houses. Carles Broto & Joseph M Minguet. Barcelona. 2002.Smith, Peter F. Eco-Refurbishment; A Guide to Saving and Producing Energy in the Home. Elsevier. Burlington, MA. 2004.Mendler, Sarah, and Odell, William, and Lazarus, Mary Ann. The Guidebook to Sustainable Design, Second Edition. Jhn Wiley & Sons, Inc. United States. 2006.
ONLINE;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasterhttp://www.gypsum.co.nz/pages/product/kids.php#todohttp://www.gypsumrecycling.biz/http://www.americanrecycler.com/PDFlib/0310.pdfhttp://www.cdworldmag.com/index.php/features/189-drywall-future.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/region1/solidwaste/cnd/http://www.fermacell-drylining.co.uk/about-us/gypsum-fire-boardhttp://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/crystal-giants/shea-texthttp://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/video/player#/?titleID=crystal-caves&catID=1http://www.gypsumrecycling.co.ukhttp://www.artmolds.com/Ali/history_plaster.html
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