Systematic Analysis of Micro-Fiber Thermal Insulations from a Thermal Properties Point of View

Abstract

In the European Union, almost 40% of all energy consumption comes from buildings, while another 20–25% comes from transport. In the European Union, including Hungary, only buildings with almost-zero energy demand could be built after 2020, and the use of renewable energies must be strengthened. The Renewable Directive stipulated that by 2020, the share of renewable energy in buildings must be 25%, and in transport it must be 10%; the use of electric vehicles is vital. There are about four million dwellings in Hungary, of which approximately three million need to be renovated, and only some of these (a few hundred) meet the cost-optimized level of the 2020 directive. The use of insulation materials is very important in the transport sector, too. Insulation materials are also used by aircraft and electric vehicles. To reduce the energy loss from buildings, different insulation materials can be used; investigations of insulation materials are very important. This paper presents a comprehensive research report on insulation materials which could be used for building elements, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning appliances) equipment, and vehicles. In this paper, laboratory investigations will be presented along with calculations to better understand the properties and behavior of these materials. For this, firstly structural analysis with scanning electron microscope will be presented. Moreover, the paper will present thermal conductivity and combustion heat measurement results. The sorption and hydrophobic behavior of the materials will be also revealed. Finally, the article will also display differential scanning calorimetry measurements and Raman spectroscopy results of the samples. The research was conducted on four different types of colorized microfiber lightweight wool insulation.