New Bound and Hybrid Composite Insulation Materials from Waste Wheat Straw Fibers and Discarded Tea Bags

مقال فى مجلة

2025

This study utilizes waste wheat straw fibers and discarded tea bags as novel raw materials
for developing new thermal insulation and sound absorption composites. Wood adhesive
(WA) is used to bind the polymer raw materials. Loose polymers and different composites
are experimentally developed in different concentrations. Sound absorption and thermal
conductivity coefficients are obtained for the developed boards. Bending moment analysis
and the moisture content of the boards are reported in addition to a microstructure analysis
of the straw fibers from wheat. The results indicate that as the wheat straw fiber’s percentage
increases in the composite, the thermal conductivity coefficient decreases, the flexure
modulus decreases, the sound absorption coefficient increases at some frequencies, and
the moisture content increases. The range of thermal conductivity and the noise reduction
coefficient are 0.042–0.073 W/m K and 0.35–0.6 at 24 ◦C for the polymer raw materials,
respectively. The corresponding values for the composites are 0.054 and 0.0575 W/m K
and 0.45–0.5, respectively. The maximum moisture content percentages for the polymers
and composites are 6.5 and 1.15, respectively. The composite flexure modulus reaches
maximum and minimum values of 4.59 MPa and 2.22 MPa, respectively. These promising
results promote these polymer and composite sample boards as more convenient insulation
materials for green buildings and could replace the conventional petrochemical thermal
insulation ones.