Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.2
3.4
Journals
Materials
Special Issues
Development and Characterization of Bio-Based Insulation Materials
materials-logo
Submit to Materials Review for Materials Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Development and Characterization of Bio-Based Insulation Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2024) | Viewed by 7460

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Florence Collet

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Génie Mécanique, Université de Rennes, 35065 Rennes, France
Interests: bio-based building materials; hygrothermal transfer; building physics; durability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sylvie Prétot

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratoire de Génie Civil et Génie Mécanique, Université de Rennes, 35065 Rennes, France
Interests: bio-based building materials; hygrothermal transfer; building physics; acoustics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Eshrar Latif

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK
Interests: hygrothermal performance of bio-based thermal insulation materials; hygrothermal performance of hemp-lime; energy performance monitoring of buildings and test cells; laboratory-based experiments related to building physics; innovative construction materials; low energy building design; simulation of heat and mass transfer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Reduction in the environmental impact of construction requires the development of building materials that reduce the energy needs and the carbon footprint of buildings. Bio-based insulation building materials, made from bio-based fibers or aggregates, meet these two objectives simultaneously. They can also contribute to indoor comfort. Such materials can be used in new buildings or for retrofit. However, these materials still represent a very small part of the construction market. There is a need to summarize and increase our knowledge of their properties, their durability, and their application in buildings.

We invite you to submit new or state-of-the-art research on the development and characterization of bio-based insulating building materials, with a particular focus on hygrothermal and acoustic properties and life cycle assessment. Studies can investigate physical characteristics at material scale, physical behavior at wall or building scale, or ambient conditions (comfort, air quality). Experimental and numerical studies are welcome, including the development of experimental methods or numerical codes. We encourage contributions on recommendations for implementation.

Prof. Dr. Florence Collet
Dr. Sylvie Prétot
Dr. Eshrar Latif
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bio-based building materials
  • hygrothermal transfer
  • building physics
  • energy needs
  • retrofit
  • indoor comfort
  • acoustics
  • carbon footprint
  • implementation

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 4559 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Wood Bio-Concrete Properties Modified with Silane–Siloxane
by Amanda L. D. de Aguiar, Nathalia A. da Silva, Bruno M. C. Gomes, M’hamed Y. R. da Gloria, Nicole P. Hasparyk and Romildo D. Toledo Filho
Materials 2023, 16(18), 6105; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16186105 - 07 Sep 2023
Viewed by 937
Abstract
Bio-based materials, such as wood bio-concrete (WBC), hold promise in reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint of the construction industry. However, the durability of these materials is not well understood and can be negatively affected by the high water absorption capacity of wood [...] Read more.
Bio-based materials, such as wood bio-concrete (WBC), hold promise in reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint of the construction industry. However, the durability of these materials is not well understood and can be negatively affected by the high water absorption capacity of wood bio-aggregates. In the field of cement composites, for example, silane–siloxane-based water repellent has been used to protect such materials from natural environmental attack. Nevertheless, there is still a limited understanding of various aspects related to this type of treatment, including its performance when applied to the bio-concrete substrate. This research aimed to investigate the influence of silane–siloxane on the rheology and hydration of cementitious paste through isothermal calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Additionally, the impact of silane–siloxane on the physical and mechanical properties of WBCs was examined by conducting tests at fresh state (flow table and entrained air content) and hardened state (compressive strength and capillary water absorption). The composites were produced with a volumetric fraction of 45% of wood shavings while the cement matrix consisted of a combination of cement, rice husk ash, and fly ash. Silane–siloxane was applied in three ways: as coating, incorporated as an admixture, and in a combination of both methods. The results indicated that by incorporating silane in the cementitious pastethe viscosity increased by 40% and the hydration was delayed by approximately 6 h when compared to the reference. In addition, silane improved the compressive strength of WBCs by 24% when incorporated into the mixture, expressively reduced the water sorptivity of WBCs (93%), and was more effective if used as coating. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterization of Bio-Based Insulation Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3662 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Thermal Conductivity vs. Bulk Density of Steam-Exploded Loose-Fill Annual Lignocellulosics
by Ramunas Tupciauskas, Andris Berzins, Gunars Pavlovics, Oskars Bikovens, Inese Filipova, Laura Andze and Martins Andzs
Materials 2023, 16(10), 3654; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16103654 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1243
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB)-based thermal insulation materials available in the market are more expensive than conventional ones and consist mainly of wood or agricultural bast fibers which are primarily used in construction and textile industries. Therefore, it is crucial to develop LCB-based thermal insulation [...] Read more.
Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB)-based thermal insulation materials available in the market are more expensive than conventional ones and consist mainly of wood or agricultural bast fibers which are primarily used in construction and textile industries. Therefore, it is crucial to develop LCB-based thermal insulation materials from cheap and available raw materials. The study investigates new thermal insulation materials from locally available residues of annual plants like wheat straw, reeds and corn stalks. The treatment of raw materials was performed by mechanical crushing and defibration by steam explosion process. Optimization of thermal conductivity of the obtained loose-fill thermal insulation materials was investigated at different bulk density levels (30–45–60–75–90 kg m−3). The obtained thermal conductivity varies in range of 0.0401–0.0538 W m−1 K−1 depending on raw material, treatment mode and a target density. The changes of thermal conductivity depending on density were described by the second order polynomial models. In most cases, the optimal thermal conductivity was revealed for the materials with the density of 60 kg m−3. The obtained results suggest the adjustment of density to achieve an optimal thermal conductivity of LCB-based thermal insulation materials. The study also approves the suitability of used annual plants for further investigation towards sustainable LCB-based thermal insulation materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterization of Bio-Based Insulation Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 107704 KiB  
Article
Hygrothermal Behavior of a Washing Fines–Hemp Wall under French and Tunisian Summer Climates: Experimental and Numerical Approach
by Naima Boumediene, Florence Collet, Sylvie Prétot and Sami Elaoud
Materials 2022, 15(3), 1103; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15031103 - 30 Jan 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2020
Abstract
This study experimentally and numerically investigates the hygrothermal behavior of a wall made of washing fines hemp composite under typical French and Tunisian summer climates. Actually, insulating bio-based building materials are designed in order to reduce energy and non-renewable resources consumptions. Once their [...] Read more.
This study experimentally and numerically investigates the hygrothermal behavior of a wall made of washing fines hemp composite under typical French and Tunisian summer climates. Actually, insulating bio-based building materials are designed in order to reduce energy and non-renewable resources consumptions. Once their multiphysical properties are characterized at material scale, it is necessary to investigate their behavior at wall scale. Washing fines hemp composite shows low thermal conductivity and high moisture buffer ability. The test wall is implemented as separating wall of a bi-climatic device, which allows simulating indoor and outdoor climates. The numerical simulations are performed with WUFI Pro 6.5 Software. The results are analyzed from the temperature, relative humidity and vapor pressure kinetics and profiles and from heat and moisture transfer and storage. The thermal conductive resistance calculated at the end of the stabilization phase is consistent with the theoretical one. The hygric resistance is consistent for simulation up to steady state. The dynamic phase under daily cyclic variation shows that for such cycles two thirds of the thickness of the wall on the exterior side are active. It also highlights sorption-desorption phenomena in the wall. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterization of Bio-Based Insulation Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2783 KiB  
Article
A 1D Model for Predicting Heat and Moisture Transfer through a Hemp-Concrete Wall Using the Finite-Element Method
by Maroua Benkhaled, Salah-Eddine Ouldboukhitine, Amer Bakkour and Sofiane Amziane
Materials 2021, 14(22), 6903; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14226903 - 16 Nov 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2114
Abstract
Plant-based concrete is a construction material which, in addition to having a very low environmental impact, exhibits excellent hygrothermal comfort properties. It is a material which is, as yet, relatively unknown to engineers in the field. Therefore, an important step is to implement [...] Read more.
Plant-based concrete is a construction material which, in addition to having a very low environmental impact, exhibits excellent hygrothermal comfort properties. It is a material which is, as yet, relatively unknown to engineers in the field. Therefore, an important step is to implement reliable mass-transfer simulation methods. This will make the material easy to model, and facilitate project design to deliver suitable climatic conditions. In recent decades, numerous studies have been carried out to develop models of the coupled transfers of heat, air and moisture in porous building envelopes. Most previous models are based on Luikov’s theory, considering mass accumulation, air and total pressure gradient. This theory considers the porous medium to be homogeneous, and therefore allows for hygrothermal transfer equations on the basis of the fundamental principles of thermodynamics. This study presents a methodology for solving the classical 1D (one-dimensional) HAM (heat, air, and moisture) hygrothermal transfer model with an implementation in MATLAB. The resolution uses a discretization of the problem according to the finite-element method. The detailed solution has been tested on a plant-based concrete. The energy and mass balances are expressed using measurable transfer quantities (temperature, water content, vapor pressure, etc.) and coefficients expressly related to the macroscopic properties of the plant-based concrete (thermal conductivity, specific heat, water vapor permeability, etc.), determined experimentally. To ensure this approach is effective, the methodology is validated on a test case. The results show that the methodology is robust in handling a rationalization of the model whose parameters are not ranked and not studied by their degree of importance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterization of Bio-Based Insulation Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop