Szczegóły publikacji
Opis bibliograficzny
Physicochemical and thermo-mechanical characterization of sheep wool/phenolic novolac panels for sustainable thermal insulation / Jakub BARWINEK, Piotr SZATKOWSKI, Julita Szczecina, Wiktoria Borowicz, Andrzej Czulak, Edyta Molik // Materials [Dokument elektroniczny]. — Czasopismo elektroniczne ; ISSN 1996-1944 . — 2026 — vol. 19 iss. 12 art. no. 2488, s. 1-26. — Wymagania systemowe: Adobe Reader. — Bibliogr. s. 25-26, Abstr. — Publikacja dostępna online od: 2026-06-10
Autorzy (6)
- AGHBarwinek Jakub
- AGHSzatkowski Piotr
- Szczecina Julita
- AGHBorowicz Wiktoria
- Czulak Andrzej
- Molik Edyta
Słowa kluczowe
Dane bibliometryczne
| ID BaDAP | 168639 |
|---|---|
| Data dodania do BaDAP | 2026-07-15 |
| Tekst źródłowy | URL |
| DOI | 10.3390/ma19122488 |
| Rok publikacji | 2026 |
| Typ publikacji | artykuł w czasopiśmie |
| Otwarty dostęp |  |
| Creative Commons | |
| Czasopismo/seria | Materials |
Abstract
This study reports the physicochemical characterization and structure–property relationships of rigid sheep wool/phenolic novolac panels developed as bio-based thermal insulation for building envelopes. Mixed Polish sheep wool was washed, mechanically opened, and formed into nonwoven mats, then impregnated with either neat or flame-retardant novolac resin to obtain lightweight boards with a fiber content of about 50 wt%. Elemental analysis, ICP-OES, FTIR spectroscopy, and laser and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the fiber composition, keratin structure, morphology, and fiber–matrix interfaces. Mechanical performance under three-point bending and shear, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and transient hot-probe thermal-conductivity measurements were applied to link microstructure with functional behavior. Novolac impregnation transformed the compliant wool mat into self-supporting panels, increasing the flexural modulus to the 0.8–1.4 GPa range and flexural strength to approximately 48–52 MPa, while the shear modulus and work to failure rose by more than an order of magnitude relative to the loose wool reference. Thermal conductivity remained in a typical range for natural-fiber insulations (λ = 0.061 W·m−1·K−1 for the wool mat and 0.071–0.074 W·m−1·K−1 for the composites), although higher than that of expanded polystyrene. DSC and TGA confirmed that wool fibers remain thermally stable up to about 200–220 °C, that the novolac resin cures around 140 °C, with typical phenolic reaction enthalpies, and that both formulations generate high char residues of roughly 60–80 wt% at 600 °C under nitrogen, evidencing a strong charring propensity rather than directly quantifying fire resistance. Overall, the results position sheep wool/novolac panels between conventional bio-based insulation and structural composites and highlight their potential as sustainable, circular insulation materials for energy-efficient building envelopes.
