Bio-based thermal insulation materials

Bio-based insulation materials can contribute to the minimization of the environmental impacts of buildings through reduction of embodied and in-use energy demand, in addition to many other major impacts such as resource depletion and waste generation.

Within this line of research, insulating panels have been developed from vegetable pith obtained from the inside of the stem of plants such as maize or sunflower. Vegetal pith, characterized by its extraordinary lightness, can be crushed and agglutinated with small amounts of natural ligands to form rigid panels of low thermal conductivity. Their hygrothermal properties (conductivity and thermal diffusivity, sorption isotherms, water vapor diffusivity ...) as well as behavior against biotic attack and fire have been evaluated. Currently, we are working on the development of complete thermal insulation systems.

Main results of this research area:

M. Palumbo, A. M. Lacasta, M. P. Giraldo, L. Haurie, E. Correal. Bio-based insulation materials and their hygrothermal performance in a building envelope system (ETICS). Energy and Buildings 174, 147-155 (2018).

M. Palumbo, A. M. Lacasta, A. Navarro, M. P. Giraldo, B. Lesar. Improvement of fire reaction and mould growth resistance of a new bio-based thermal insulation material. Construction and Building Materials 139, 531–539 (2017).

M. Palumbo, A. M. Lacasta, N. Holcroft, A. Shea, P. Walker. Determination of hygrothermal parameters of experimental and commercial bio-based insulation materials. Construction and Building Materials 124, 269-275 (2016).

Palumbo, M.; Formosa, J.; Lacasta, A. M; Thermal degradation and fire behaviour of thermal insulation materials based on food crop by-products. Construction and Building Materials 79, pp. 34 - 39 (2015).

Palumbo, M.; Avellaneda, J.; Lacasta, A. M. Availability of crop by-products in Spain: new raw materials for natural thermal insulation. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 99, pp. 1 - 6 (2015).

A. M. Lacasta Palacio, M. Palumbo Fernandez, J. Avellaneda Diaz-Grande, A. Navarro-Ezquerra, J. M Rosell Amigo. Materiales aislantes térmicos a base de biomasa y gomas naturales. PATENT Ref. P201431352. Concession date: 09/01/2017. Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.