NATURAL INSULATION MATERIALS: AN ALTERNATIVE FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

摘要

A great number of insulation materials are being substituted by new technological materials with complex transformation process which requires much energy. A good challenge for developing countries is to make insulation with local and natural low cost materials. This paper focuses upon some natural low cost materials for thermal insulation in developing countries. A review of experimental and theoretical investigations of natural materials as thermal insulators is presented and discussed comprehensively. The discussion leads to a conclusion that inorganic materials such as mineral wool or cellular glass should be the best insulation materials because of their harmless behavior to the environment and their unlimited quantity present in the natural world, as well as some natural materials such as coconut fiber and groundnut coquets. The thermal and mechanical properties are improved by reinforcing them with some common insulation and chemical materials.