Investigation of thermal conductivity and water absorption test on thermal insulation board made from rice husk

Mohd Thalib, Aida Basirah (2025) Investigation of thermal conductivity and water absorption test on thermal insulation board made from rice husk. Project Report. Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia. (Submitted)

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Abstract

Traditional insulating materials such as fiberglass and foam plastics are inefficient and environmentally harmful which release hazardous compounds and consuming large amounts of energy during production. These materials also rely on non-renewable resources, worsening resource depletion and environmental degradation. Sustainable alternatives are needed, but many current options are either ineffective, lack durability, or are too costly, limiting their widespread adoption. The growing demand for energy-efficient buildings and industrial processes highlights the urgency for innovative thermal insulation solutions. Addressing these issues requires interdisciplinary research to develop new materials and techniques that balance performance with sustainability. This research focuses on the investigation of thermal conductivity and water absorption tests on thermal insulation boards made from rice husk. By utilizing corn starch, citric acid, and borax as natural binders, this project fabricated thermal insulation boards using rice husk as an alternative material for the insulation industry through the factorial design method. In this study two level factorial design was employed to identify significant effect on the 2 outputs which are thermal conductivity and water absorption based on three factors (a) borax (6-13 gram), (b) citric acid (15-30 ml) and (c) hot press temperature (120 -150˚C). The insulation boards with dimensions 177.8 mm × 177.8 mm × 5 mm, were fabricated for 20 minutes under a pressure of 145 psi for 8 samples. Thermal conductivity and water absorption tests were conducted following ASTM C518 and ASTM C203 to evaluate material absorption. The experimental results showed that sample 8 shows the lowest thermal conductivity (0.40 W/m·K) and water absorption (23.08%), demonstrating its superior insulation and moisture resistance properties. Analysis revealed that the interaction between (a) borax, (b) citric acid, and (c) hot press temperature (ABC) was the most influential factor, contributing 42.41% to thermal conductivity variability. Additionally, factor (b) citric acid was identified as a critical factor affecting water absorption, contributing 55.64% of the variability. These findings highlight the potential of rice husk-based insulation in enhancing energy efficiency and supporting eco-friendly construction methodologies. Further investigations will focus on optimizing the material's properties and scalability for broader commercial applications.

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