Gypsum Manufacturing and Products: Between Tradition and Innovation. A Systematic Review

Gypsum is a construction and building material, whose raw components are easy to find in nature and it is highly diffused worldwide for the numerous gypsum-sulphur outcrops almost in all the continents. Its applications in construction have always been extremely widespread since its origins dating back to the Bronze Age when it was used to replace other materials that required the exploitation of more resources for their production or application. Therefore, this paper will systematically review the traditional and most contemporary production techniques and products to critically compare the pre-industrialisation cases versus products that are currently on the market. That will allow to understand the evolution of the material’s production and which traditional methods have influenced contemporary manufacture. This study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the material’s potential, its environmental qualities, and how it can be used in accordance with the requirements of sustainability and circularity. This work is part of doctoral research in its initial phase, which will focus on developing waste-based gypsum products in synergy with the company Innovazioni Group s.r.l., which is co-funding the grant.