- Every year many sawmills make large amounts of sawdust.
- Most sawdust is burned to produce energy and heat.
- Burning returns the carbon in wood to the air.
- Researchers want to keep that carbon in materials longer.
- They mix sawdust with a mineral binder called struvite.
- Crystals in struvite fill gaps and bind the sawdust.
- The pressed boards are stronger than original wood.
- The boards resist fire and form a protective layer.
- These boards are lighter than cement boards and recyclable.
Difficult words
- sawmill — A factory where people cut logs into boards.sawmills
- sawdust — Small pieces of wood made when you cut wood.
- carbon — A natural element in wood and many materials.
- binder — A substance that holds other parts together.
- crystal — A hard regular solid form of some minerals.Crystals
- recyclable — Can be used again or made into new things.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you have wooden furniture at home?
- Do you recycle at home?
- Have you seen sawdust before?
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