A study on some physical and mechanical properties of molded thermal insulation materials produced from perlite and boric acid added forestry by-products

Abstract

Abstract Thousands of tons of bark and cones are produced each year in the forest products industry and the natural life cycle of forests. These raw materials are either burned or left in the forest. In both cases, it causes both environmental problems and a significant loss of economic potential. On the other hand, the demand for thermal insulation materials is increasing day by day, and more synthetic and fossil-based raw materials with negative environmental effects are consumed. In this study, some physical and mechanical properties of molded thermal insulation materials produced from natural raw materials were investigated experimentally. In this context, 15 types of sandwich panel materials containing honeycomb-shaped core were produced from pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) bark and cones. The mean moisture content, density, compressive strength, tensile strength perpendicular to the surface (Internal adhesion strength), tensile strength parallel to the surface (Tensile strength), and dimensional stability (width-length-thickness change) values of the materials were 10.600%, 269.717 kg/m3, 0.493.06 N/mm2, 0.011 N/mm2, 0.150 N/mm2 and − 0.156%, -0.054%, 0.942%, respectively. According to the results, it was determined that the increase in particle size and perlite ratio in the materials produced from the bark decreased the density. Moreover, it was found that the particle size-moisture content relationship and the perlite ratio-moisture content relationship varied in the materials containing bark and cones, that the mechanical properties were higher in the materials containing cones, and that the dimensional stability did not show a regular change.