Acoustical and Thermal Characterization of Insulating Materials Made from Wool and Sugarcane Bagasse

Abstract

Utilizing agricultural waste and natural fibers minimizes environmental impact and can improve the acoustic and thermal conditions of buildings. Natural fibers can be an alternative to non-biodegradable synthetic sound-absorbing materials. This study aimed to investigate the acoustic and thermal properties of insulating materials made from wool and sugarcane bagasse. Thermal conductivity, thermal resistance, acoustic and moisture absorption, and fire properties of five insulating materials made from sheep wool, goat fiber, camel wool as well as pith and fiber bundles of sugarcane bagasse were determined. The measurement of the sound absorption coefficient was performed in an impedance tube. The thermal resistance and thermal conductivity coefficient were measured according to the ASTM D5334–08 Standard. The findings show that camel wool has the highest sound-absorbing performance, thermal insulation, and fire-resistant properties. The lowest value of the noise reduction coefficient (NRC) was 0.52 for goat fiber, and the highest was 0.74 for camel wool. The maximum sound absorption coefficient of camel wool was 0.95 at a frequency above 1000 Hz. Thermal conductivity varies between 0.038–0.046W/(M.K). Hence, all materials tested can be considered thermally insulating. The results showed insulating materials made from wool, especially camel wool, had better performance than fiber and pith of sugarcane bagasse.

Keywords

• sound absorption
• thermal insulation
• wool
• fiber
• pith
• bagasse
• sugarcane