Waste Utilization: Insulation Panel from Recycled Polyurethane Particles and Wheat Husks

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Sustainable Engineering
• Construction Technology

Background:

• Growing demand for sustainable building materials.
• Need for effective utilization of industrial and agricultural waste streams.
• Environmental impact of conventional insulation materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize novel thermal insulation panels from waste polyurethane foam and winter wheat husks.
• To investigate the influence of material composition on the physical and thermal properties of the composite panels.
• To assess the suitability of these panels for eco-friendly building applications.

Main Methods:

• Development of composite panels using recycled soft polyurethane foam and winter wheat husks.
• Bonding of materials with a one-component moisture-curing polyurethane adhesive.
• Testing of panels for internal bond strength, compressive stress, water uptake, thermal conductivity, and volumetric heat capacity.
• Analysis of the effect of varying ratios of polyurethane foam to wheat husk.

Main Results:

• Composite panels were successfully fabricated with densities ranging from 50-150 kg/m³.
• Excellent thermal insulation properties were achieved, with coefficients of thermal conductivity between 0.0418-0.0574 W/(m·K).
• The ratio of recycled polyurethane foam to wheat husk significantly influenced the mechanical and thermal performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed composite panels effectively utilize waste materials for thermal insulation.
• The resulting materials exhibit superior thermal insulation performance, suitable for sustainable construction.
• These panels represent a viable eco-friendly alternative for thermal insulation in buildings.