Thermal insulation material based on reed and straw fibres bonded with sodium silicate and rosin

The most used insulating materials have advantageous characteristics for construction, such as low cost, but at the same time, have significant disadvantages such as the environmental footprint. Plant raw materials are a significant reserve for the production of thermal insulation materials in various regions of the world. The results of practical experimental studies indicate promising results on the use of crop waste as a raw material for obtaining thermal insulation materials with high thermal insulation characteristics. The present study aimed at obtaining a new material based on reed for environmentally friendly thermal insulation panels. Compositions were developed based on mixtures of crushed reed and straw, creating a new method for the introduction of rosin into the aggregate mixture, which ensures even binder distribution, regardless of the amount of thermal insulation material. The electron microscopy readings of the reed and straw structure, revealed the mechanisms that determine the physical properties of insulation. The experimental data on the physical properties of thermal insulation slabs, included the measurement of density, thermal conductivity and moisture sorption. The results show the benefit of replacing reed by crushed straw and of the use of rosin as a binder, achieving a thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.048 W/(m center dot K), with significant impact on the reduction of sorption of water vapor, which allows to conclude that the developed compositions have characteristics that make it promising for application in construction.

Automated summary

Traditional insulation materials have both advantages and disadvantages, but using crop waste as raw material for thermal insulation has shown promising results in experimental studies, with the potential to create new materials with high thermal insulation characteristics. This study aimed to develop environmentally friendly thermal insulation panels based on reed, and experimental data showed that the new compositions have potential for application in construction.