With a bit of processing, common materials can be made into high-performance building materials, such as pollution-eating roofing and concrete. In some applications, fiberglass insulation, foam insulation, and wood can be replaced by manufactured alternatives that are made from waste materials and select raw materials.
Zeo, an Australian company based in New South Wales, has created a product called Zeoform that is composed of only cellulose and water. Cellulose, an organic polymer that gives wood and green plants their structural integrity, now offers huge potential for building materials.
The company has patented the process, which uses cellulose from textile waste, recycled and reclaimed paper, industrial hemp, and waste and renewable plants. The process results in a material, the company says, that can be produced at varying densities and can be formed, moulded, or sprayed.
High-density Zeoform (one to 1.5 grams per cubic centimetre) is made for applications requiring a high strength-to-weight ratio, such as building materials and automotive parts.
