Accepted Manuscript

Title: Mechanical, thermal and acoustical characterizations of

an insulation composite made of bio-based materials

Author: Hanifi Binici Orhan Aksogan Ceyda Demirhan

Hanifi Binici

PII: S2210-6707(15)30030-5
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1016/j.scs.2015.09.004
Reference: SCS 323

To appear in:

Received date: 22-4-2015

Revised date: 9-9-2015
Accepted date: 10-9-2015

Please cite this article as: Binici, H., Aksogan, O., Demirhan, C., and
Binici, H.,Mechanical, thermal and acoustical characterizations of an insulation
composite made of bio-based materials, Sustainable Cities and Society (2015),
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2015.09.004

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Mechanical, thermal and acoustical characterizations of an insulation composite made
of bio-based materials

Hanifi Biniciahbinici@ksu.edu.tr, Orhan Aksoganbaksogan@cu.edu.tr, Ceyda

Demirhanccydmrhn@hotmail.com, Hanifi Binici*dhbinici@ksu.edu.tr
a
Kahramanmaraş Sutcu Imam University, Department of Civil Engineering,
Kahramanmaraş 46100, Turkey

t
b
Toros University, partment of Civil Engineering, ersin, 33140, Turkey

ip
c
Kahramanmaraş Sutcu Imam University, epartment of Civil Engineering,
Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
d
Department of Civil Engineering, Kahramanmara Sutcu Imam University,

cr
Kahramanmaraş 46100, Turkey

Tel: +90 (344) 2801660, Fax: +90 (344) 2801602

us
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ABSTRACT
Heating costs in winter and cooling costs in summer, nowadays, are very high and
these costs a can be reduced by the insulation of buildings. This study is related to the
development of bio-based composites and the determination of their thermal,
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mechanical and acoustical insulation properties.The composites were prepared using
corn stalk particles as the reinforcement components. An experimental design was
established to study the effect of the stalk particle size and the epoxy/ corn stalk
particle ratio on the thermal and mechanical properties of the composites prepared.
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Their mechanical properties and thermal performance characteristics are compared

with the commercially available bio-based insulation materials.
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This study shows that waste corn-on-the-cob can be used for the reinforcement of
epoxy resin to prepare insulation materials that can be used commercially. Natural
products of high insulating value can be obtained that can provide alternative
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insulation materials and reduce the import of insulation materials and satisfy the
criteria of the Turkish Standard TS 805 EN 601. The results of this study can solve
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two industrial problems. One of them is providing a new useful construction material
and the other is utilising agricultural wastes to reduce their harm to the environment.

Key words
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Thermal insulation, Bio-based composite, Corn stalk

1. Introduction
Insulation materials in buildings have been widely used since the beginning of the
20th century. The new building and construction materials and systems provide many
benefits and some drawbacks in terms of the comfort conditions of buildings. The
exterior walls must be thin to prevent unnecessary loading on the structure [1-3]. In
recent years, energy resources in Turkey have rapidly decreased and approximately
40% of the energy is spent on buildings. Although the total energy consumption per
capita in the last 25 years has increased by 5%, this ratio has increased by over 100%
in Turkey [4,5] due to the energy consumption for heating uninsulated houses with an
average of 200 kW h/m2 per year. Today, the cost of the energy required for the
heating of houses is estimated to be more than US$ 4 billion.

1 Page 1 of 29
The current stock of buildings do not have adequate insulation and if insulation is
added, it will reduce the necessary heating energy. If the insulation of the entire
building is complete, an energy saving of over US$ 2 billion per year can be made [6].
Therefore, the use of insulation materials has become a necessity and the production of
appropriate materials for insulation is of great importance. Although most insulation
materials are produced from inorganic materials, recently, some of these materials
have been prohibited due to their suspected health risks [7, 8]. Thus, it is important to
investigate organic-based insulation materials. Research related to the use of agro-

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industrial residues in the development of composite materials for the construction

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industry is now of growing interest [9-13]. One of the major challenges of this
industry for the next decade is to improve the energy performance of existing
buildings taking into account the increasing social emphasis on issues concerning the

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environment, waste disposal, and the depletion of non-renewable resources. The
motivating factors include cost, mechanical, thermal and acoustic performance
enhancements, weight reduction, and the environment friendliness [14]. In this

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context, bio-based insulating materials made from by-products of agriculture waste
constitute an interesting alternative to those obtained from fossil carbon. Thermal
insulation is known to play a critical role in saving energy by reducing the rate of heat

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transfer [15]. Through the use of useful composite materials in building structures,
many issues related to heat and sound insulation and moisture management have been
resolved and this has resulted in the reduction of the cost of structure maintenance,
repair and operation [16].
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There have been previous attempts to develop similar bio-based materials. In Turkey
simple construction techniques have been used in ancient times using bio-based
materials as wall materials [6]. The reason for this preference is that bio-based
material is easily manufactured and obtained [17]. Similar aplications have been used
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in different countries. For instance, Tabique construction is one of the main

Portuguese traditional building techniques that uses earth based building materials.
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The research conducted by Pinto J. et al., [17] showed that corn cob, an agricultural
waste, has the potential to be used as a sustainable building material for thermal
insulation. An experimental work concluded that there are significant similarities
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between the corn cob and the extruded polystyrene material in terms of microstructure
and chemical composition. Furthermore, the results obtained from experimental
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thermal procedure indicate that the corn cob may have adequate thermal properties for
building purpose [17].
Fibres from agricultural raw materials constitutes an important class of sustainable
materials with applications in construction. Many wood product standards make
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mention of alternative sources of ligno-cellulosic fibres. They are the primary sources
of useful lingo-cellulosic fibres in biomass. Agricultural material fibres and particles
are in many ways similar to wood fibres and particles. Specific characteristics depend
on species and degree of processing. The agricultural fiber-based construction
materials industry in the US has been in a nascent stage for many years, with few
companies enjoying long term success. Agricultural fibres in construction compete
primarily with wood, but also with fossil fuel, and mineral products. Agricultural
fibres can also be mixed with wood fibres to improve properties [18-20].
The use of natural fibres in insulation is closely linked to the ecological building sector
[21], where selection of materials is based on factors including recyclable, renewable
raw materials and low resource production techniques. Furthermore, cellulosic
insulations have a higher moisture regain than inorganic materials, and therefore only
cellulosic materials are recommended for old timbered houses [22, 23]. One reason for

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the relatively low utilisation is the approximately two-fold higher price of fibre
insulations compared to mineral wool [23].
The thermal performance of bio-based fibres has been investigated and compared to
conventional insulations in some studies [21, 24]. Considerable data is available
concerning the technical properties of conventional insulations, whereas, data for
cellulosic insulations has typically been given only for cellulose as a generic material
[25, 26].
The implementation of agro-industrial residues in the development of composite

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materials for building trades is now a research of growing interest [27-30]. One of the

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major importance of this industry for the next decade is to improve the energy
performance of existing buildings taking into account the increasing social emphasis
on issues of the environment, waste disposal, and the depletion of non-renewable

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resources. The motivation includes cost, mechanical, thermal and acoustical
performance enhancements, weight reduction, and environment concerns [31].
Thermal insulation is known to play a vital role in saving energy by reducing the rate

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of heat transfer [32]. Among them, those obtained from agricultural by-products have
numerous advantages as they are eco-friendly and renewable. Moreover the high fiber
content of some of them authorizes the reinforcement of composites [33]. The bio-

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sourced material obtained had higher thermal conductivity and mechanical strength
compared to cement alone [34].
Besides building concept, solar house (S-house) builders are concerned with the
components and materials being used satisfying the present needs of the users without
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causing extra burden on the offsprings with waste disposal problems or forcing them
to use an out-dated building for decades [35, 36]. Hence, sustainable architecture is the
result of a careful consideration of functions, materials and their life-cycle
performance, present and future human needs and social aspects. A passive S-house
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made of renewable resources is the basic principle under which the S-house is
constructed.
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Regarding the supply of bio-based resources, the possibility of providing domestic

agriculture with a new source of income could turn out to be an important driver for
the production and use of bio-based materials. Additional impetus could come from
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the New Member States and Associated States of the European Union owing to their
enormous agricultural and silvicultural areas and large potential for improvement in
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agricultural practice [37]. Common choices of thermal insulation are fibreglass, rock
wool and mineral wool. These materials may be the cause of environmental hazards.
The small particles from fibreglass and glass wool insulation can end up with health
hazard and respiratory or skin irritant [38]. Breathing fibres may cause coughing and
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throat irritation. Glass fibres of respirable size was listed by The Seventh Annual
Report on Carcinogens as a substance which is a candidate to cause cancer in humans
[39]. Most thermal insulation batts include formaldehyde resin which may affect
sensitive people and cause asthma [40]. Cellulose insulation with toxic, fire-retarding
chemicals like boric acid, were mentioned to harm human health[41]. Thermal
insulation materials have low thermal conductivity, moisture protection, and mould
and fire resistance. Mostly used kinds of insulating materials are inorganic fibrous and
organic foamy materials - expanded and extruded polystyrene and polyurethane [42].
It is warned that environmental and health impacts must also be considered besides
other points. Since the current popular insulation materials have harmful side effects
[43], alternative insulation materials satisfying the new standards must be searched.
United States, China, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and India being the main producers of
corn in the world, total production was above 600 million tonnes in 2003 . Turkey
produced around 9 million tonnes of corn in 2008 [44]. Corn stalks and cobs can be

3 Page 3 of 29
made into particleboards and fibre boards [45]. Low density boards made with the hot
press method using corn stalks and cob with urea formaldehyde resin ended up with a
high mechanical strength and a thermal conductivity of 0.096 W/mK [46].
Little is known about the different building-physics-related properties of such
insulation materials. The present contribution, therefore, illustrates recent efforts of
determining these important attributes. As shown in previous studies, waste is of great
importance in our world. It has been shown that the use of waste in producing
costruction materials is of great importance due to the rapid depletion of the natural

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fossil resources. The main aim of the present study is to produce new light weight

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insulation composites with low thermal conductivity coefficients, using bio-based
waste materials. Furthermore, this paper discusses the suitability of corn-stalk fibres
for thermal insulation. The need of alternative wastes due to the rapid depletion of

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natural resources is inevitable.
Using bio-derived materials, such as corn stalk, would be much less energy-intensive
than relying on these existing alternatives. Recently, competitiveness is very much

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driven from a capital expenditure point of view. It depends on how much the raw
materials and their assembly cost. The operational cost of the building is, generally,
not taken into account as much. This paper presents a laboratory study to produce a

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new insulation material with a low heat transfer coefficient using lighter waste
materials. This new insulation material is different from others in the literature which
developed similar materials using gypsum or epoxy as a binder.
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2. Materials and methods
2.1.Materials
2.1.1. Raw materials
Corn stalks used in this study were harvested in 2013 (Elbistan, Turkey) (Fig.1).
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Grinding of corn stalks was performed using a cutting mill with a sieve of 20 mm
mesh (Fig.2). The cutting speed used was 1000 rpm and the particles obtained were
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sieved at room temperature (20◦C) using Contro-lab sieve-tronic. Samples of different

particle sizes between 0,5 and 4 mm were obtained and stored at room temperature.
2.1.1.2. Binder
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Epoxy
Epoxy resins are widely used as matrix materials in many fibre-reinforced composites.
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They are a class of thermoset polymers that are of particular interest to structural
engineers owing to the fact that they provide a unique balance of chemical and
mechanical properties in addition to wide processing versatility [47]. Araldite- LY-
554 type of epoxy resin was used in the present study.
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Gypsum
The chemical, physical and mechanical properties of the gypsum used in this study are
given in Table 1.
Cement
The cement used was ASTM Type I normal Portland cement (CEM I 42.5) with
specific gravity of 3.12 kg/cm3. Initial and final Vicat setting times of the cement were
115 and 200 min, respectively. Its Blaine specific surface area was 3250 cm2/g and its
chemical composition is given in Table 2.
2.2.Methods
2.2.1. Bio-based composite made with corn stalk and epoxy
Bio-based composite made with corn stalk and epoxy samples produced are described
in Table 3. They were prepared by the volume mixing ratios and by weight of the
components according to this table. The process for obtaining the bio-based
composites from the shredded stems of corn stalks and epoxy is illustrated in Figs. 3

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and 4. Epoxy resin solutions were mixed with the stalks of corn (particle sizes between
1.6 and 6.3 mm) for five minutes. Each set was compacted for 1 min at 20◦C under
different pressures, between 0.07 and 0.27 Mpa, using weights or compressive press
machine. After drying at 50◦C for 50 h in an oven, the composites obtained were firstly
thermally stabilized (Fig. 3) and then cut with a band saw to obtain slender shapes of
standard cement moulds for the determination of mechanical properties (Fig. 3).
2.2.2. Bio-based composites made with corn stalk and gypsum
The grinding machine was used for the agricultural wastes, which were ground in a

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mixture of corn stalks. These materials were then used with plaster as a binder. The

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mixing ratio of the insulation material is given in Table 4. The raw materials used for
the preparation of insulation composites from corn stalk and the different binding
materials are presented in Table 4. The production process is schematically shown in

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Fig. 4 and typical insulating composite specimens produced (10 x 10 x 2 cm in size)
are presented in Fig. 5.

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3. Experimental study
3.1. Physical and mechanical properties of insulation materials
3.1. 1. Water absorption and unit weight values

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The unit weight and water absorption capacities of the composite block samples were
tested according to the EN TS 2823 [48] and ASTM 67-03 [49] standards,
respectively.
3.1.2. Compressive and flexure strengths
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The compressive and flexure strengths of the composite samples were determined with
samples of sizes 12 x 12 x 2 cm and 2.5 x 2.5 x 2 cm, respectively, by using the
Universal testing machine.
3.2. Ultrasonic sound penetration velocity coefficient
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The ultrasonic sound penetration velocity coefficient test was conducted in accordance
with ASTM C 597 [50] . There is no direct relationship between Ultrasonic sound
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penetration velocity coefficient and the material strength [51]. The wave velocity of
the material decreases with an increase in the amount of voids. The ultrasonic sound
velocity of the insulation material made with sunflower stalk fibres, the spongy part of
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sunflower stalks, cotton waste, textile fibre waste, stubble and epoxy has been reported
as 0.9 km/s [2]. This value is quite low compared to the other building materials. For
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example, it is 1.61 km/s for a typical brick. There is a specific relationship between the
wave speed and the density of the material. When the amount of voids inside the
material increases, the ultrasonic sound penetration velocity coefficient decreases. The
time it took for a sound wave to travel from one surface of the material to the other
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was measured and the wave velocity was calculated as follows:

V = (S / t)×106
V= wave velocity (km/h),
S= surface area of the material used (cm2),
t= the distance between the surfaces
The time it took for a sound wave to travel from one surface of the material to the
other (seconds).
Sound insulation is a factor that needs to be considered when any building is
constructed. Materials having high sound insulating properties should be chosen when
constructing structures such as walls, coverings, ceilings and windows. Thus sounds
coming from upstairs, downstairs and neighboring walls are obstructed and minimised.
Noise is an important problem which is considered as an environmental pollution and
may lead to health problems, the cause of which cannot be easily diagnosed.
Therefore, suitable sound insulation is essential for clean environment and healthy

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living. Thus, ultrasonic sound and the audio switching speed of the transition have
been previously reported for different materials [51].

3.3. Thermal conductivity coefficients

The thermal conductivity coefficients of the insulation material were measured
with a QTM-500 according to ASTM C 1113-90 [52] .

4. Results and discussion

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4.1. Insulation materials made with epoxy binder

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4.1.1. Water absorption and unit weight values
The unit weight and water absorption values of the insulation material were found to
be 0.26-0.41 (kg/m3) (Fig.6) and 18.75-28.12 (%) (Fig.7), respectively. As seen in

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Figs. 6 and 7, the highest value of water absorption was obtained for sample S5 made
of epoxy binder. This appears to be related to the presence of more voids in the
structure of the insulation material. The lowest water absorption values were obtained

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for sample S10, which was prepared using higher compaction pressure, thus resulting
in insulation composite having tighter structure and fewer voids. On the other hand,
sample S5, which was prepared using the lowest compaction pressure, had the

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highest water absorption values resulting in the insulation composite having lighter
structure and many separate voids. Samples with higher unit weights are observed
to have lower water absorption values.
The results presented in Figs. 6 and 7 show that as the unit weight value of the
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insulating composite decreases the water absorption value increases. These results also
convey that when the compaction pressure is increased it is accompanied by an
increase in the unit weight value of the composite. For example, for some composites
with 30 g of epoxy resin and 60 g of corn stalk an increase of 25 percent in the applied
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pressure was accompanied by an increase in the unit weight value of 68 percent on the
average. However, when the amount of the epoxy resin was increased in the composite
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(S6-S10) to 45 g, while keeping the amount of corn stalks at 60g, a 25 percent increase
in the applied compaction pressure resulted in a drop of 32 percent in the unit weight
value on the average. This shows that higher amount of epoxy in the composite
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requires lower compaction pressure in order to obtain insulation materials with low
water absorption values.
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Epoxy 30g and the amount of corn stalks 60 g, while the amount of pressure applied to
the sample is increased from 25 percent to 22 percent average sample rates absorb
water is reduced (S1-S5). The reason for this can be explained by the pressure applied
[2]. This increased because the pressure applied is material having a structure more
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closely. Epoxy 45 g and the amount of corn stalks 60g, while the amount of pressure
applied to the sample increased by 25 percent when the unit weight increased by 25
percent on the average (S6-S10).
Samples S5 and S10 showed lowest and highest thermal conductivity, and highest and
lowest water absorption values, respectively. Essentially, sample S5, despite its lowest
thermal conductivity, exhibits higher water absorption rates. The foamy portion of
epoxy renders a great amount of empty space possible and this ends up with a low
coefficient of thermal conductivity. For the same reason there is a decrease in the
water absorption coeficient with an increase in the epoxy content. The high water
absorption values of the samples were, naturally, accompanied by lower thermal
conductivty coefficients.

4.1.2. Compressive and flexure strengths

6 Page 6 of 29
The compressive and flexural strengths of the samples with thermal insulation values
lower than 0.3 and 0.15, respectively, are given in Figs. 8-9. Generally, an increase in
the amount of cement increases the compressive strength of the composite materials
and an increase in the amount of gypsum in the composite leads to an increase in its
flexural strength.

4.1.3. Thermal conductivity coefficients

Thermal conductivity coefficients of the various insulation composites prepared with

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waste, corn stalks, and epoxy resin are presented in Fig. 10. The results show that, in

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general, the thermal conductivity coefficients of the insulation materials were higher
than 0.1 W.m-1.K-1, below which a material is classified as an insulation material
according to TS 805 EN 601 [53]. However, some of the samples exhibited values

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lower than 0.1 W.m-1.K-1 and these materials can be used in building insulation
applications. The lowest thermal conductivity value (0.075 W.m-1.K-1 ) was obtained
for sample S5 and the highest values for sample S10. The results also show that S5

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and S10 exhibited the highest and lowest water absorption values, respectively. These
observations can also be related to the void content of the samples as indicated by their
unit weight values. It can be seen that as the unit weight value increases it is

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accompanied by a decrease in the water absorption and an increase in the thermal
conductivity value of the composite.

4.1.3. Ultrasonic sound penetration velocity coefficient

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The results presented in Fig. 11 show that the lowest ultrasonic sound penetration
velocity was obtained for sample S5 and the highest value for sample S10.
The explanation for these observations is similar to that expressed for the thermal
conductivity results. For the samples prepared with 30g of epoxy and 60g of corn
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stalks, as the compaction pressure applied to the composite sample was increased the
ultrasonic sound transmission velocity decreased (S1-S5). On the other hand, the
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samples prepared using 45g of epoxy in the composite showed the opposite trend, i.e.
an increase in the compaction pressure resulted in an increase in the ultrasonic sound
permeability (S6-S10). This is related to the void contents of the two sets of
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composites, i.e. as the void content in the composite decreases it is accompanied by an

increase in the ultrasonic sound permeability of the sample.
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The ultrasonic sound permeability values obtained in this study are considerably lower
than those reported by other researchers. Demirboga et al. [51] have reported a
decrease in the P-wave velocity of the material with an increase in the amount of
voids. The ultrasonic sound velocity of the insulation material made with sunflower
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stalk fibres, the spongy part of sunflower stalks, cotton waste, textile fibre waste,
stubble and epoxy was 0.9 km/s. This value is considerably lower than those for some
of the other building materials such as bricks for which the value is 1.61 km/s. The
results of the present study show that the ultrasonic sound permeability of the
composite samples containing higher amounts of gypsum were significantly lower
than those of the corresponding materials made with epoxy resin.

4.2. Gypsum as a binder for insulation materials prepared

4.2.1. Water absorption and unit weight values
As seen in Figs. 12 and 13, the highest water absorption value was found for sample
S20 made of gypsum binder, which has the lowest unit weight value. This is mainly
due to the highly porous structure of the insulating material obtained, caused by the
use of excess NaOH and high gypsum to cement ratio. The lowest water absorption
value was observed for sample S11 which has low gypsum and high cement content.

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This sample has the highest unit weight value and as a result its porosity is expected to
be the lowest.
The results of this study show that the unit weight values of the gypsum-based
insulation materials were nearly 50 percent higher and the corresponding water
absorption values were lower than the epoxy-based composite materials. It appears
that the use of epoxy resin results in a more porous composite material as compared to
the composites prepared with gypsum.

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4.2.2. Thermal conductivity coefficients

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The thermal conductivity values of the various composites prepared in the presence of
gypsum as a binder are given in Fig. 14. The results show that the highest thermal
conductivity value (0.1999 W.m-1.K-1) was observed for sample S11, which was

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prepared using the highest amount of cement and had the lowest gypsum content. The
lowest thermal conductivity value (0.1W.m-1.K-1) was obtained for sample S20. This
sample was prepared using the highest amount of gypsum and additives.

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The foregoing results show that as the amount of gypsum is increased in the composite
the thermal conductivity of the material decreases, thus, making the material better for
insulation applications.

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4.2.3. Ultrasonic sound penetration velocity coefficient
Ultrasonic sound penetration for the bio-based composites that included gypsum as the
binder in place of epoxy resin was determined and the results are presented in Fig.15.
The results show that the highest ultrasonic sound penetration velocity (0. 49 km/s)
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was obtained for sample S11 and the lowest value (0. 17 km/s) for sample S20. These
results clearly show that the addition of gypsum in the mix produced bio-composites
with improved sound insulation characteristics. This is normally explained by the
increased amount of gypsum used. The formation of many gaps is also an explanation
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of these results.
Gypsum-based insulation materials had lower sound transmission coefficients
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than those of epoxy-based insulation materials produced with epoxy. However, S15-
S20 with high aluminum dust ratio had lower sound transmission coefficients. This
can be explained by the various sizes and geometries of gaps formed by aluminum
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dust. Finally, it can be said that construction materials with low sound transmission
coefficints coefficients provide better sound insulation.
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Actualy, the most important result of this study is that waste materials, which cause
environmental pollution can be prevented and a satisfactory insulation material can be
produced entirely of organic origin by the method proposed in this study. This new
insulation material is a candidate to be commercialized in the future. On the other
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hand, to avoid the possible negative effects of moulding, increase of additives,

reduction of the nutrition level of the fibres below 80% is needed [6, 32]. In order to
develop realistic practical applications, more research concerning practical
technological solutions to these aspects is needed. To eliminate the risk factors, quality
control must be adopted for the whole production process of bio-based fibres.
In addition, corn cob fibres are suitable for insulations due to their thermal properties
and some ecological features, i.e., biodegradability. However, these fibres have a risk
for microbial and other contaminants, and their quality should be checked regularly.
Careful procedures during harvesting, processing, manufacturing, building and
maintenance of buildings are required in order to avoid the risk of negative effects
caused by moisture and free water. Furthermore, product development of bio-based
fibrous thermal insulations and the use of additives are evidently needed in order to
avoid negative effects on indoor air quality. For instance, when gypsum board is
exposed to elevated levels of moisture, an evaluation of the potential damage to the

8 Page 8 of 29
gypsum board must be made to see whether it should be replaced or not. Gypsum
board may experience limited intermittent exposure to moisture from a variety of
sources, such as improper storage, construction or design defects, water leaks, and
janitorial activities. Gypsum board exposed to water should be replaced unless, the
source of the water or moisture is identified and eliminated, the water or moisture to
which the gypsum board was exposed was uncontaminated and the gypsum board can
be dried thoroughly before mold begins to grow on it.

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4.3. The weakness against animal and insect harms and mold growth

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Molds may harm organic materials by breaking their internal ties. Other additives like
fly ash, pumice and barite do not cause the foregoing disadvantage. However, the
materials proposed in the present study can be used both indoors and outdoors since

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they are protected with binder material as gypsum.

4.4. The role of binder in the boards

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In this study, epoxy, gypsum and cement were used as binders. It is well known
that gypsum is prone to water-destruction. However, in the present study, waterproof
insulation materials are obtained after chemical reactions among gypsum, NaOH and

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aliuinum dust. Thus, after the chemical reaction the structure of the resulting
composite is changed and the new material obtained is water resistant.
5. Conclusion
The present study shows that it is possible to prepare bio-based composite
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materials with low heat transfer coefficients. The main reason for the low heat transfer
is the presence of voids in the composite samples that can trap air within the structure.
TS 805 EN 601 requires a thermal conductivity coefficient of lower than
0.1 W.m-1.K-1 in order to qualify a material as a thermal insulator. Hence, S4, S5 and
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S6 can be used as thermal insulating materials. Finally, the most important result
obtained from this study is that waste materials, which cause environmental pollution,
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can be utilised for the preparation of commercially feasible and satisfactory insulation
material that which is of organic origin. The present new insulation material is a
candidate to be commercialized in the future. Farmers living in rural areas can use this
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material for insulation instead of burning, which will create new jobs and provide a
considerable amount of energy savings.
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Acknowledgement
We would like to thank to the editior Prof. Fariborz Haghighat for his useful
comments and suggestions on the language and structure of our manuscript which
improved it appreciably. This research was supported by a grant from the Department
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of Scientific Research Project Unit of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University with

the number (2013/6-1LAP), for which we are thankful, also. We would like to thank
the Department of Civil Engineering of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University,
where this research was carried out

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barite, Construction and Building Materials 30(2012) 826–32.
[3] de Wilde P, Voorden M., Providing computational support for the election of
energy saving building components, Energy Building 36(2004) 749–58.

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[4] Aksoy TU., Investigation of the effect on overall heat transition coefficient and
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2008, (in Turkish).

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• The composites were prepared using corn-stalk particles.

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• The insulation materials satisfies requirements of ASTM.

• Insulation materials that can be exploited commercially.

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• This study can solve utilise agricultural waste.

• Waste materials can be utilised for the preparation of commercially feasible.

12 Page 12 of 29
 Table 1.The chemical, physical and mechanical properties of the gypsum used

Specific Blaine
gravity (cm2/g) Sieve analysis (%)
Compressive Setting
(g/cm3)
strength time Residue Residue
(MPa) (min.)

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on 90µm on 120µm

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20 6 2.4 2300 0.06 0.4

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Table 2. The chemical content of cement used

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(%)

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SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO SO3 Na2O K2O Loss
ignigation
20.8 5.4 3.2 64.9 1.8 0.7 1.2 1.4 0.6
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Table 3. Weights of components for bio-based composites made of corn stalk and
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epoxy resin
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Components (g)
p

Specimens Epoxy Pressure

Corn stalks (kgf/cm2)
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S1 30 60 0,27
S2 30 60 0,22
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S3 30 60 0,17
S4 30 60 0,12
S5 30 60 0,07
S6 45 60 0,27
S7 45 60 0,22
S8 45 60 0,17
S9 45 60 0,12
S10 45 60 0,07

13 Page 13 of 29
Table 4. Weights of components for bio-based composites made of corn stalk and

gypsum.

Components (g)
Specimens Cement Gypsum NaOH Aliminum dust Water Corn stalks
S11 250 100 17 8 300 200

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S12 200 150 17 8 300 200
S13 150 200 17 8 300 200
S14 100 250 17 8 300 200

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S15 50 300 17 8 300 200
S16 250 100 20 10 300 200

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S17 200 150 20 10 300 200
S18 150 200 20 10 300 200
S19 100 250 20 10 300 200

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S20 50 300 20 10 300 200
M
d
p te
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14 Page 14 of 29
Figure

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ed
pt
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Fig.1. Corn stalks

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 t
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cr
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ed
pt
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Fig. 2. Particles of corn stalks

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2 Page 16 of 29
 t
ip
cr
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an
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ed
pt
ce
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Fig. 3. Process of obtaining agro-composite from corn stalks and epoxy

3 Page 17 of 29
 t
ip
cr
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an
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ed
pt
ce

Fig.4. Process of obtaining bio-composite from corn stalks and gypsum

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4 Page 18 of 29
 t
ip
cr
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an
Fig.5. Typical bio-composites prepared from corn stalks and gypsum
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ed
pt
ce
Ac

5 Page 19 of 29
.

t
ip
cr
us
an
M
ed

Fig. 6. The unit weight values of the insulation material

pt
ce
Ac

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 t
ip
cr
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an
M
ed
pt
ce
Ac

Fig. 7. The water absorption values of the insulation material

7 Page 21 of 29
 t
ip
cr
0,4

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0,29 0,29
0,3 0,27
Compressive strength (MPa)

0,24 0,24

0,2
0,21
0,18
an 0,23

0,15
M
0,11
0,1
ed

0
S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S19 S20
Samples
pt
ce
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Fig. 8. The compressive strengths

8 Page 22 of 29
 t
ip
cr
0,15
0,13

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0,11

0,1 0,09
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Flexure strength(Mpa)

0,08 0,08
0,07 0,07
0,06 0,06
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0,05 0,04 e
ed

0
S11 S12 S13 S14 S15 S16 S17 S18 S19 S20
pt

Samples
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Fig. 9. The flexural strengths

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9 Page 23 of 29
 t
ip
cr
us
an
M
ed
pt

Fig. 10. Thermal conductivity coefficients of the samples made of epoxy binder
ce
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10 Page 24 of 29
 t
ip
cr
us
an
M
ed

Fig. 11. Ultrasonic sound penetration velocities of the samples made with epoxy
pt

binder
ce
Ac

11 Page 25 of 29
 t
ip
cr
us
an
M
ed
pt

Fig. 12. The unit weight values of the insulation material

ce
Ac

12 Page 26 of 29
 t
ip
cr
us
an
M
ed

Fig.13. The water absorption values of the insulation material

pt
ce
Ac

13 Page 27 of 29
 t
ip
cr
us
an
M
ed

Fig. 14. Thermal conductivity coefficients of the samples made with gypsum
pt
ce
Ac

14 Page 28 of 29
 t
ip
cr
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an
M
ed

Fig. 15. Ultrasonic sound penetration velocities of the samples made with gypsum
pt
ce
Ac

15 Page 29 of 29