Awoyera Paul O, Olofinnade Oluwarotimi, Olojede Shallom, Onyelowe Kennedy
Department of Civil Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Al Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Department of Civil Engineering, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun, Nigeria.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 1;15(1):21567. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-04247-2.
The drive for energy-efficient buildings has propelled the development of advanced insulation materials that minimize heat transfer and ensure safety and durability. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), a widely adopted material in the insulation industry, is valued for its affordability and ease of application. However, high emissivity, moisture susceptibility, and limited fire resistance often compromise its thermal performance. Consequently, this study investigates the potential of enhancing the thermal resistance of EPS by integrating it with a Radiant Barrier Foil Board (RBFB) material, thus forming a composite insulation material. A Series of tests were conducted on the developed composite insulation material, which includes emissivity, water absorption, thermal conductivity, and fire resistance, to assess the performance improvements offered by the enhanced composite material compared to conventional EPS. Results showed that the EPS-RBFB composite demonstrated a 95% reduction in emissivity level from 0.85 to 0.04, and a 22% improvement in thermal conductivity was observed from 0.036 to 0.028 W/m K. Further, a 72% reduction in moisture absorption was recorded, including a significant enhancement in the fire resistance, with ignition delayed by 50%, and self-extinguishing was also observed. These findings suggest that the enhanced EPS-RBFB composite is a superior insulation material, offering enhanced durability and safety for modern construction.
对节能建筑的需求推动了先进保温材料的发展，这些材料能将热传递降至最低，并确保安全性和耐用性。发泡聚苯乙烯（EPS）是保温行业广泛采用的材料，因其价格实惠且易于应用而受到重视。然而，高发射率、易受潮以及有限的耐火性常常会影响其热性能。因此，本研究探讨了将EPS与辐射阻隔箔板（RBFB）材料相结合以提高其热阻的潜力，从而形成一种复合保温材料。对所开发的复合保温材料进行了一系列测试，包括发射率、吸水率、导热系数和耐火性，以评估这种增强型复合材料相对于传统EPS所带来的性能提升。结果表明，EPS-RBFB复合材料的发射率水平从0.85降至0.04，降低了95%，导热系数从0.036提高到0.028W/m·K，提高了22%。此外，吸水率降低了72%，耐火性也显著增强，着火延迟了50%，并且还观察到了自熄现象。这些发现表明，增强型EPS-RBFB复合材料是一种优质的保温材料，为现代建筑提供了更高的耐用性和安全性。
