Repurposing recycled plastic banners for the development and creation of innovative high-performance building insulation materials
Source abstract
Abstract
The increase in carbon emissions from human activities has been a significant driver of environmental pollution and climate anomalies, posing substantial threats to both the Earth and humanity. Among the various forms of waste produced, polyester-based banners are particularly harmful when discarded, contributing notably to environmental degradation. Approximately 14,000 metric tons of waste banners were generated between 2018 and 2022, with a recycling rate of merely 30% in the Republic of Korea alone. This study addresses this issue by innovatively repurposing these commonly discarded banners into high-performance insulation materials for building interiors. The process involved shredding the waste banners into fibers, followed by compressing them at 150 °C for 30 minutes to produce specimens measuring 100 mm × 100 mm × 20 mm. Comprehensive chemical analyses, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, were conducted to compare the chemical compositions before and after the manufacturing process, confirming that no additional additives were required. The thermal analysis, which included measurements of thermal conductivity and a hot-box test, revealed that the waste banner specimens exhibited a thermal conductivity of 0.0426 W/m·K at 20 (±5) °C—significantly lower than those reported in previous recycling studies. Furthermore, phase change materials (PCM) were impregnated into the specimens during production to enhance their thermal performance, with systematic evaluations confirming their effectiveness. This study underscores the potential of repurposing waste plastic banners into innovative insulation materials, providing an environmentally friendly and high-performing alternative to conventional insulation solutions.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Architecture and Cultural Influences · Hygrothermal properties of building materials · Building Energy and Comfort Optimization
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
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