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. 2024 Mar 1;16(5):672.
doi: 10.3390/polym16050672.

Thermal and Sound Insulation Properties of Organic Biocomposite Mixtures

Mihai Alin Pop  1 , Cătălin Croitoru  2 , Simona Matei  1 , Sebastian-Marian Zaharia  3 , Mihaela Coșniță  4 , Cosmin Spîrchez  5
Affiliations

Thermal and Sound Insulation Properties of Organic Biocomposite Mixtures

Mihai Alin Pop et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Sustainable building materials with excellent thermal stability and sound insulation are crucial for eco-friendly construction. This study investigates biocomposites made from cellulose pulp reinforced with beeswax, fir resin, and natural fillers like horsetail, rice flour, and fir needles. Eight formulations were obtained, and their thermal resistance, oxidation temperature, and acoustic properties were evaluated. Biocomposites exhibited significant improvements compared to conventional materials. Oxidation temperature onset increased by 60-70 °C compared to polyurethane foam or recycled textiles, reaching 280-290 °C. Sound absorption coefficients ranged from 0.15 to 0.78, with some formulations exceeding 0.5 across mid-frequencies, indicating good sound-dampening potential. These findings demonstrate the promise of these biocomposites for sustainable construction, offering a balance of thermal and acoustic performance alongside environmental and health benefits.

Keywords: biocomposites; internal architectures; paper pulp; sound insulation; thermal properties.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Microscopic images of the obtained composite recipes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Acoustic measurements for the full molded composites and paper pulp: (a) sound transmission loss (TLn), (b) sound absorption coefficient, (c) sound reflection coefficient.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Acoustic measurements for the circular-patterned molded composites and paper pulp: (a) sound transmission loss (TLn), (b) sound absorption coefficient, (c) sound reflection coefficient.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Acoustic measurements for the triangular-patterned molded composites and paper pulp: (a) sound transmission loss (TLn), (b) sound absorption coefficient, (c) sound reflection coefficient.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Acoustic measurements for the undulated-patterned molded composites and paper pulp: (a) sound transmission loss (TLn), (b) sound absorption coefficient, (c) sound reflection coefficient.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Average values of the selected materials in terms of acoustic performance: (a) sound transmission loss (TLn), (b) sound absorption coefficient, (c) sound reflection coefficient (Hr: paper pulp core; Pr: composites with paper core impregnated with the formulations from Table 1).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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