Foamed Eco-Geopolymer Modified by Perlite and Cellulose as a Construction Material for Energy-Efficient Buildings

• Published in: Energies (Basel) Vol. 15; no. 12; p. 4297
• Main Authors: Kurek, Izabela, Florek, Emilia, Gozdur, Weronika, Ziejewska, Celina, Marczyk, Joanna, Łach, Michał, Korniejenko, Kinga, Duży, Patrycja, Choińska, Marta, Szechyńska-Hebda, Magdalena, Hebda, Marek
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-06-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Additives; Architecture and energy conservation; Atmospheric temperature; Building materials; Buildings; Carbon; Cellulose; Cellulose fibers; Civil Engineering; Climate change; Composite materials; Composition; Compressive strength; Construction; Construction industry; Construction materials; Design and construction; Energy consumption; Energy efficiency; Engineering Sciences; Environmental aspects; Geopolymers; Green buildings; Heat conductivity; Insulation; Kaolin; Lignin; Materials; Mechanical properties; Metakaolin; Nanocrystals; Perlite; Porous materials; Potassium; Sodium; Tensile strength; Thermal conductivity; Thermal insulation; Zeolites; Poland; Metakaolin; Thermal conductivity; Compressive strength; Composite materials; Civil engineering; Thermal insulation
• ISSN: 1996-1073; 1996-1073
• DOI: 10.3390/en15124297

Irreversible climate change, including atmosphere temperature extremes, is one of the most important issues of the present time. In this context, the construction industry requires solutions for increasing the energy efficiency of buildings through feedback between temperature adjustment inside buildings and better isolation of the external parts of buildings. Newly developed thermal insulation materials play an important role in this strategy. This paper presents the foamed geopolymer based on metakaolin that can be used as a modern facade material. In order to further improve its thermal insulation properties, the composition of geopolymer was modified with organic substances, i.e., perlite and cellulose fibers (30% and 50% of the volume). The thermal conductivity and insulation properties, density, mineral phases, absorbability, and compressive strength were improved for composite materials. It has been shown that the final properties of the foamed geopolymer can be controlled to a great extent by modifications, and the final properties determine its applicability.