Semi-dry technology mediated lignocellulosic coconut and energy reed straw reinforced cementitious insulation panels

Abstract

Sustainable cementitious composite panels are gaining interest as efforts to reduce environmental burdens increase. This study investigated the possibilities and reinforcement effects of developing composite panels from coconut husk derived materials (CM) and reed straw (RS) particles in the presence of Ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Five composite panels with 1200 kg/m3 densities and 400 × 400 × 8 mm3 dimensions were produced. The proportion of lignocellulosic materials for energy reed and coconuts were 100:0, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60 and 0:100%, respectively. Other ingredients like OPC, Na2SiO3, and cement stone were kept constant. The panels were produced by utilizing energy efficient semi-dry technology, a novel fabrication technology that requires less water to make the slurry. The investigations – thermal conductivity, mechanical, physical, FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) and morphological – were conducted after 28 days of curation in a standard laboratory atmosphere. The test obtained the following results: the thermal properties of cementitious coconut and reed panels show that the thermal conductivity of the mixture expresses the excellent insulating properties of the panels. The thermal conductivity coefficient ranged from 0.11 to 0.15 W/(mK), with reed-only boards attaining superior values. Mechanical properties such as flexural strength and internal bonding strength showed an increasing trend as the amount of coconut increased. The panel containing coconut materials only achieved the best values – 5.13 MPa (flexural strength) and 0.31 MPa (internal bonding strength). The morphological images displayed the presence of lignocellulosic materials in the composite structures, whereas the FTIR study provides evidence of successful chemical interactions between the OPC and reinforcements. The results reveal a novel, eco-friendly and green composite panel fabrication technology that can facilitate panel manufacturers, especially in the construction and building sectors.