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Coconut Leaves and Corn Starch Thermal Insualtion

This document proposes using dried coconut leaves and corn starch to create particleboards for use as a sustainable thermal insulator. Using agricultural waste like coconut leaves can benefit farmers and the environment while providing a low-cost insulation alternative. The proposed method is to process coconut leaves and corn starch into a particleboard, which would then be tested for properties like density, water absorption, thickness swelling, and thermal conductivity to evaluate its potential as a thermal insulator. If effective, this could help lower energy costs while supporting local agriculture and reducing waste.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
594 views4 pages

Coconut Leaves and Corn Starch Thermal Insualtion

This document proposes using dried coconut leaves and corn starch to create particleboards for use as a sustainable thermal insulator. Using agricultural waste like coconut leaves can benefit farmers and the environment while providing a low-cost insulation alternative. The proposed method is to process coconut leaves and corn starch into a particleboard, which would then be tested for properties like density, water absorption, thickness swelling, and thermal conductivity to evaluate its potential as a thermal insulator. If effective, this could help lower energy costs while supporting local agriculture and reducing waste.

Uploaded by

lolz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Dried Coconut Leaves (Cocos nucifera) and Corn Starch Particleboards as an

Alternative and Sustainable Thermal Insulator

Summary
From your standpoint, do you feel the heat? We all know where it comes from
as much as we know the source, us. Therefore, we propose the Dried Coconut Leaves and Corn Starch as
components in making particleboards as a thermal insulator. People will benefit from this, from farmers,
coconut plantations, consumers, and of course the environment. Thermal insulations are great assets in
construction projects. Electricity bills are piling due to high demand of cooling systems, our product is a
remedy to prevent this matter, a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient, particleboard
for thermal insulation out of Dried Coconut Leaves bound by cornstarch. Not only do es it lessen
agricultural waste, we also reuse the material to something good, to something better.

Background and Problem

Energy consumption, heightened electricity costs, and extensive discomfort are the conditions of
the gradual effects that climate change imposes, especially in a country in the tropical region. Changes in
temperature may induce detrimental effects on energy as it is used for heating and mostly for cooling
since energy demand for air conditioning or air cooling in general, prompts a greater cost, both in finance
and to the environment. Without proper ventilation, cooling systems, and proper infrastructure planning;
it will cause a toll on human productivity, health-related conditions, and employee absenteeism. It is
evident enough how the sectors in the Department of Education established urgent measures from the
recent heat spikes and significant temperature increase, resulting in postponement of in-person classes,
and appointing class schedules to safeguard the health of students and staff.

There has been an apparent increase in temperature in the Philippines due to climate change,
according to PAGASA, 2013. Agricultural wastes are being discarded as scraps that are unneeded after
substantial uses of items, this leads to burning, which is a harmful method of disposal that contributes to
climate change. Urban areas are particularly at risk from the effects of urban heat islands caused by the
rising levels of heat hazards recorded over the assessment of a total of 139 cities in the country exhibiting
health risks (Estoque et al., 2020). As stated by a blog by the company Mr. Electric, “The relationship
between the weather and energy usage is a never-ending cycle.” A strain on the budget is observed so
long as the demand for more energy to operate cooling systems increases. Climate change is a threat, even
to infrastructures as it is expected to worsen and damages to the infrastructure lifespan is accounted for.
Beneficiaries

Based on the study, the researchers believe that the results of the study could be beneficial to the
following:

Consumers. The study can help consumers lessen the cost of insulating materials by changing to organic

and low-cost ones.

Manufacturers. This study could help manufacturers to improve and duplicate the product.

Farmer. Farmers could make a passive income just from the delivery of coconut leaves to proponent

manufacturers of the product.

Coconut Plantations. They can benefit from this project by providing sufficient stocks of coconut leaves

(fronds) to be bought by manufacturers.

Environment. It helps preserve the environment because it is free from chemicals, uses natural materials

from agricultural waste, and can improve heat circulation, lowering energy costs.

Future Researchers. This study could help future researchers build more ideas in this innovation and

serve as a tool, reference, and guide in conducting related research.

Proposed solution to the problem

One of the most energy-efficient enhancements to buildings and ways to save energy in structures
is commercial thermal insulation. According to Tangjuak (2011), thermal insulations are the greatest
construction component and play a crucial part in attaining a building's energy efficiency. Due to the
rapid growth of the number of agricultural waste materials, this study attempts to produce alternative,
sustainable, economical, and usable coconut leaves as thermal insulation particleboards. Finding some use
for the coconut leaves is the primary goal, without disposing of it instead possibly reusing it as a raw
material for making insulation board, which would benefit the economy and the environment. An
additional component would be a cornstarch solution as a binder. With gluing performance meeting
quality requirements, the corn starch adhesive created in a study by Xian-Qing, X. et al., (2018), can be
used as a non-formaldehyde glue to apply to the production of straw board veneer ornamental plates. The
fabrication of wood-based panels can use corn starch glue as a non-formaldehyde adhesive in the process
of using renewable and affordable natural polymer resources.
Methods of the proposed solution

Phase I

Gathering and Preparations of Materials

- 50 fronds of Coconut leaves


- 40 mL corn starch-water
- Sodium hydroxide (50 mL)

Production of Material via processor, soaking tub, heating chamber

Production of Particle Board

- Heat-pressed using hydraulic press modification in a 12 by 6 inches rectangular mold, 2 cm


in thickness

Testing

- Thermal Properties
Density (Density formula= Mass/Volume)
Water absorption (Rate through difference in weight)
Thickness swelling (Observed changes through a certain time period of the thickness)
Thermal conductivity (via thermal analysis)
Cost Analysis

Description Quantity Unit Amount

Corn starch

The price of each material used in the experiments, as summarized in above, corresponds to the
amount of each material to be used in the experiment.

References

Potential of Using Agricultural Waste Composites as Thermal. June 2, 2023.


https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/masy.202100409

(DOC) RESEARCH-PAPER-FINAL | pekka coc - Academia.edu. June 2, 2023.


https://www.academia.edu/21725831/RESEARCH_PAPER_FINAL

Vidil, Lisa & Fiorelli, Juliano & Bilba, Ketty & Onésippe Potiron, Cristel & Jr, Holmer & Arsène, Marie-
Ange. (2016). Thermal Insulating Particleboards Reinforced with Coconut Leaf Sheaths. Green Materials.
4. 10.1680/jgrma.15.00029.

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