Porosity-engineered sawdust composite for high-performance insulation
A sustainable, low-cost thermal insulation solution using delignified nano-sawdust for enhanced R value and reduced thermal conductivity.
Overview
The porosity-engineered sawdust composite offers a sustainable approach to thermal insulation by repurposing sawdust, a by-product of woodworking. By delignifying sawdust into nano-sawdust and combining it with a polymer binder, this solution achieves a high R value of 25-35 per inch, making it a competitive alternative to traditional insulation materials. The process not only recycles waste material but also enhances the thermal efficiency of the resulting composite.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- Utilizes a delignification process to transform sawdust into highly porous nano-sawdust.
- Nano-sawdust composite is created through spinning and lamination, incorporating a polymer binder and silica nanoparticles.
- Achieves low thermal conductivity, targeting 0.04 W/m·K, significantly lower than native wood.
- Designed to improve thermal insulation capabilities with additional porosity from lamination.
Technology readiness level
This technology is currently at TRL 3, indicating it has been validated in a laboratory environment. Ongoing tasks include optimizing the delignification process, fabricating the composite using a polymer binder, and characterizing the thermal insulation capabilities to facilitate scale-up for industrial applications.
About Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a comprehensive private research university in upstate New York, pairing fundamental inquiry with applied, industry-facing work. Industry engagement is anchored by a downtown innovation campus with co-located university–industry labs, pilot-scale testbeds, and flexible prototyping spaces. A centralized corporate partnerships office and experiential learning pipelines link R&D teams to faculty and student talent through sponsored research, internships, and capstone collaborations. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense. A dedicated technology transfer office and campus-linked incubators streamline IP, licensing, and startup formation.
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