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NanoMat 2018 Nano Research & Applications
ISSN: 2471-9838 Page 90
April 26-27, 2018
Rome, Italy
17th Edition of International Conference on
Emerging Trends in
Materials Science and
Nanotechnology
T he ISOBIO project will develop a new approach to insulating
materials through the novel combination of existing bio-
derived aggregates with low embodied carbon and with
innovative binders to produce durable composite construction
materials. These novel composites will target 50% lower
embodied energy and CO2 at component level and 20% better
insulation properties than conventional material. The project will
also seek to demonstrate a reduction of at least 15% in total costs
and 5% total energy spent over the lifetime of a building. ISOBIO
started by identifying promising organic materials that could be
used as insulation. Many of these are classified as waste or by-
products of processes like food production. Finely chopped bio-
materials such as hemp and straw are treated with hygrothermal
resins and nano- particles that make them robust, breathable,
moisture resistant, and fire retardant. The bio-aggregates are
typically the result of combining organic and inorganic materials;
the organic material may have natural insulating properties, for
example, while the inorganic material may make the resulting
bio-aggregate more robust. Combing organic materials with
inorganic materials is not always easy, however. Hemp, for
instance, is being combined with lime mortar but the two
materials have a degree of chemical incompatibility which could
result in a reduction in the strength of the composite material. To
overcome this challenge, ISOBIO’s researchers are using nano-
technology to increase the interfacial strength between the two
materials, giving the resulting composite material improved
mechanical and structural properties. The new materials not only
improve upon the performance of conventional materials, they
also offer new features. Hemp shiv, which is the core of the hemp
stalk, for example, has a porous structure that provides moisture
buffering to maintain humidity at a more constant level. While
the new composite materials may provide more comfort, they
need to be at least as robust as conventional materials. To make
the hemp-based bio-aggregate water repellent, for example,
ISOBIO’s researchers are applying hydrophobic treatments
to it. The result is that water vapor can travel in and out of the
material but liquid water cannot penetrate it. TWI is exploring the
development of novel inorganic-organic hybrid nano-materials,
to be applied as a surface treatment onto bio-based aggregates.
These nanoparticles are synthesized by sol-gel processing and
then functionalized with silanes to impart multifunctionality e.g.
hydrophobicity, fire resistance and chemical bonding between the
silica nanoparticles and the bio-based aggregates. This talk will
illustrate the approach taken by TWI to design the functionalized
silica nanoparticles by using a material-by-design approach. The
formulation and synthesize process will be presented together
with the challenges addressed by those hybrid nano-materials.
The results obtained with regards to the water repellence and
fire resistance will be displayed together with preliminary public
results of the ISOBIO project.
Development and demonstration of highly insulating,
construction materials from bio-derived aggregates
Nadia Sid
TWI Ltd - Cambridge, UK
Nano Res Appl, Volume:4
DOI: 10.21767/2471-9838-C1-009