Effect of hemp content and clay stabilization on hygric and thermal properties of hemp-clay composites

The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of clay stabilization and hemp content on hygric and thermal performances. This experimental study is based on the measurement of sorption isotherm, moisture buffer value and thermal properties. The effect of water content on thermal conductivity is also investigated. The results show that Hemp Clay Composites (HCC) and Hemp Stabilized Clay Composites (HSCC) are hygroscopic and moisture buffering materials. The correlations between hemp content and water content are identified for sorption curves. An innovative analysis of the contribution of hemp and binder to water sorption is performed. The moisture buffer values classify the designed composites as excellent hygric regulators according to the Nordtest classification. The thermal conductivity ranges from 0.089 to 0.120 W/(m.K) at dry state, making them suitable for distributed insulation. The thermal conductivity increases linearly with density, for the two binders investigated in this study. Besides, the thermal conductivity increases linearly with water content too. Finally, this study underlines that the designed composites show high hygrothermal qualities. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study experimentally investigates the effects of clay stabilization and hemp content on hygric and thermal performances of composites. It reveals that the designed composites exhibit excellent moisture buffering properties and thermal conductivity suitable for distributed insulation. The linear relationships between hemp content, binder types, density, and water content are identified in this study.