Analysis of Breathaboard paper-core bond strength and contributing factors

Plasterboard is responsible for 3.5% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions, with inefficient production accounting for 67% of life cycle emissions \[Maskell, D. et al 2017\].

Production of toxic Hydrogen Sulphide gas from the mixing of plasterboard, biodegradable waste and rainwater within landfill has resulted in tighter waste regulations including waste segregation and increased landfill taxes (£91/tonne and increasing in the UK \[HMRC, 2018\]) to cater for the 15m tonnes of plasterboard waste that is disposed annually. Only 1% of UK plasterboard demolition waste is currently recycled \[WRAP, 2019\].

Adaptavate Limited, a UK-based, award winning SME, is focused on developing and commercialising materials that disrupt foundation industries and the construction market. This project accelerates the development of a world-first gypsum-alternative low-carbon plasterboard created from agricultural crop waste, Breathaboard.

Utilising next generation, bio-based, renewable materials and production methods, Breathaboard responds to growing user demand for more environmentally friendly construction materials, offering:

?Superior condensation, air quality and energy efficiency performance

?Bio-based, non-toxic materials with excellent closed-loop credentials

?Lower lifecycle carbon emissions and natural resource impact.

This project focuses on enhancing Breathaboard's design for manufacturer and technical validation, enabling an optimised, commercially viable product, poised for worldwide adoption.

Through collaboration with NPL, Adaptavate are looking to gain key insight to manufacturing quality using state of the art analysis. The outcome is focused on delivering some novel in line non destructive quality assurance techniques.