Development of New Composite Products Based on Flax Fibres

Daniela-Roxana Tămaş-Gavrea,Ovidiu Vasile,Raluca Iştoan,Ancuţa Elena Tiuc,Tünde-Orsolya Dénes,Horia Constantinescu

doi:10.3390/coatings11050551

Daniela-Roxana Tămaş-Gavrea, Ovidiu Vasile + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11050551

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Abstract

Plant fibres are materials that can increase energy savings, and they are being analysed for their reduced environmental impact. In this paper, three types of multi-layered panels were developed as environmentally friendly flax fibre-based products for building industry applications. The structural build-up of the panels is such that one layer of waste flax fibre was used as the core material in order to reduce the weight of the structure between two rigid perlite-based layers. The perlite was used in three varied grain sizes, resulting in three types of panels (S1, S2, S3). The mechanical, thermal and acoustic properties were recorded for all specimens. The influence of the perlite particles’ size, perforation diameter and perforation percentage of the multi-layered panels on the acoustic absorption properties was analysed and discussed. Summarising the results, the multi-layered composite panel S3 presented the best performance in regard to compressive strength and thermal conductivity, with S2 presenting the best bending strength. From the acoustic point of view, for the unperforated panels, the highest values of the sound absorption coefficient were obtained at 500 Hz for S1, α = 0.95, 315 Hz for S2, α = 0.89 and 400 Hz for S3, α = 0.84. The obtained values of the sound absorption coefficients were increased through the varied perforation diameters and percentages of the panels’ front face.

Highlights

In recent decades, as urbanisation has increased, finding the raw materials and energy to produce building materials and absorbing the emitted waste from their production, use and disposal have become important global problems that may affect everyone around the planet [1]
The acoustic quality and comfort, both of which are key considerations in a sustainably built environment [26], were considered through a thorough investigation of the sound absorption properties of three new multi-layered composite panels based on flax fibres
Three types of multi-layered composite panels were fabricated using two rigid perlitebased sheets reinforced with a natural flax fibre net, between which a core comprising flax fibres with lengths ranging between 200 and 300 mm was used as a filler

Summary

Introduction

As urbanisation has increased, finding the raw materials and energy to produce building materials and absorbing the emitted waste from their production, use and disposal have become important global problems that may affect everyone around the planet [1]. The current legislation and the increasing awareness of alternative materials, which can provide insulating properties, have led to the development of new materials, an opportunity for a sustainable environment [11]. In terms of acoustic and thermal performances, the insulation materials based on natural fibres are suitable for use in civil engineering [21]. The acoustic quality and comfort, both of which are key considerations in a sustainably built environment [26], were considered through a thorough investigation of the sound absorption properties of three new multi-layered composite panels based on flax fibres. In this research, a link between acoustic comfort and urban development, with implications for producing new natural-based products comparable with the synthetic ones needed for a well-designed sound environment, was realised

Materials

Mechanical Properties

Thermal Properties

Perforation Percentage