DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT BASED INSULATING MATERIALS FOR THERMAL ENERGY APPLICATIONS

Abstract

This study investigates the development and evaluation of thermal insulating materials derived from plant-based resources—specifically Jute, Banana stem, and Kola leave—as sustainable alternatives to widely used synthetic insulators such as fiberglass, polyurethane, polystyrene etc. In contrast, plant-based materials offer advantages such as renewability, biodegradability, lower cost, and reduced environmental impact. Using a controlled laboratory experimental setup based on the Guarded Hot Plate (GHP) method, the thermal conductivity, thermal resistivity, specific heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity of the developed plant-based insulation materials were measured and analyzed. The results revealed that Jute exhibited the best thermal performance with the lowest thermal conductivity (0.077 Wm^-1·K^-1), highest thermal resistivity (0.325 K. mW^-1), and lowest thermal diffusivity (1.132 × 10⁻⁵ m²s^-1), making it a suitable material for general-purpose eco-friendly construction insulation. Banana stem and Kola leave displayed moderate insulating capabilities, but showed higher specific heat capacities (1671 Jkg^-1·K^-1 and 1204 Jkg^-1·K^-1) respectively, suggesting potential use in thermal buffering applications. This research demonstrates the feasibility of using agricultural by-products in developing effective and sustainable insulation materials can promote the adoption of natural insulators in thermal systems, especially in resource-constrained regions.