Cement in construction is a material that, to some extent, we continue to depend on. However, have you ever stopped to think about the pollution it causes, just when we are facing the ecological transition throughout the United States? Well, they have found the solution: it is a material that you have at home and that you use every week without knowing its potential.
More than one material, it’s two: Saying goodbye to cement in construction with an innovative alternative
Combining router and recycled newspaper is a great way to develop a strong composite insulation material as these two substances own mutually applicable properties.
By blending rice husk particles with shredded recycled newsprint as well as used with glue, scientists used to make a material which is lightweight but has an efficient thermal insulation power.
The compound utilizes rice husk’s low density and high silica content as well as the fibrous structure and mechano-chemical effects inherent to the paper recycling process.
The category of this as disposable waste from agricultural sources and post-consumer elements should instead be recycled resourced for upgrades of building blocks as sustainable insulation.
One of the leading advantages of this material is its lightweight, somewhere between 100-500 kg/m3, which has significance depending on the particular ratio of rice husk to newspapers.
With around 25% to 45% the weight of the traditional insulation, they hold three to six times the efficiency. It possesses such low weight as our material is very easy to transport, install and hang on walls or ceilings.
Studies make it clear that this is an alternative that we should take advantage of (although it has its drawbacks)
Despite its lightness, tests have shown the composite still provides good insulating properties on par with commercial insulations. This is achieved by trapping air within the mixture of rice husk particles and shredded newspaper fibres.
The silica-rich husk also reflects infrared radiation, providing additional thermal resistance. By recombining waste streams that would otherwise end up in landfills or incineration, this novel composite reduces the environmental impact of insulation materials.
The next steps will be continuing to refine manufacturing processes and demonstrating performance at an industrial scale. But early research indicates the potential for a sustainable, locally produced insulation made from abundant agricultural and urban wastes.
How have they managed to transform these two materials into a perfect insulator for homes?
The spacecraft’s composite material gets its manufacturing process done by a simple method. Firstly, the old newspapers in shredded into fibres which provide the raw material for the process of making paper from recycled products.
The resulted into an increase in effective contact between the individual fibres which lead to the overall bonding closed. Now the additional mixture of the shredded newspaper fibres with rice husk particles is entirely blended.
Husk has the key role of a glue in the composition, and the loose filler holder is performed by it. Next, the fluffy mixture is compressed into strong soundproof boards or a loose-fill framework that is used as an insulation material.
Heating and pressuring will connect them together and create a solid rice straw composite. Range can be used which could be acting as a tool for a particular user.
The processing technology is simple and direct, which contain the steps of shredding, mixing and compressing. It gives the manufacturing small and large strength by being uncomplicated and possible to scale up. Primarily, the equipment and energy directives that are embedded on this smart material also makes it a true sustainable building material.
As you have seen, a material that seemed to have no use beyond composting – which France has just made mandatory, which we will talk about shortly – has just become the perfect substitute for cement in construction. The key lies in its potential to ensure thermal efficiency, strength and, of course, in being more renewable and recyclable than almost any other.
