Thermal Insulation Potential of Selected Solid Wastes Fibers

Abstract

Materials based on highly porous fibres are now becoming increasingly popular as thermal insulators to fight severely increasing temperatures due to climate change (Khedariet al., 2004). In this study, fibres from solid waste materials like coconut husk and absorbent pads of used disposable diapers were evaluated for their synergistic effect as thermal insulation medium. Dried coconut husk fibres and cleaned used disposable diapers were heated at 1500C-3000C for 2 hours and then moulded to make pads. Scanning Electron Microscopy and HD digital microscope were usedin the analytical imaging of the fibres. Fibre pads from coconut husk fibres, used disposable diapers and their combination, and polyethene foam (+control) were evaluated for their burning rate based on ASTM D 1992 while thermal conductivity and thermal resistance were obtained using the fabricated testing hot box (Frawley & Kennedy, 2007). The morphology of the coconut husk fibres with used disposable diapers showed thicker and rougher surface with foamy coatings which confirmed a porous fibre structure. One-Factor ANOVA showed significant difference among the different set-ups for burning rate (F=926.506; p=0.000), thermal conductivity (F=203.993; p=0.000), and thermal resistance (F=197.820; p=0.000) wherein the set-up for the combination of the coconut husk fibres and used disposable diapers exhibits satisfactory burning rate (M=3.268), lowest thermal conductivity (M=0.037) and highest thermal resistance (M=0.273). The results affirmed that the natural coconut husk fibres and used disposable diapers have a synergistic effect for better thermal properties which can be utilised as a better thermal insulation medium to fight high-temperature problems.