A mortar made from recycled plastic and silica aerogel which improves insulation and reduces plastic waste has been developed by Newcastle University researchers.
A mortar made from recycled plastic and silica aerogel which improves insulation and reduces plastic waste has been developed by Newcastle University researchers.
The team hope this new building material could reduce heating and cooling bills while being environmentally friendly.
They developed the cement mortar mix by replacing sand with silica aerogel and recycled PET plastic which they then showed improved thermal insulation and weighs less. Aerogels are known for their high insulation properties and are increasingly used for thermal insulation, particularly within the building sector and in aerospace.
Publishing in the journal Construction and Building Materials, the team shows that the new mortar mix reduced heat loss by up to 55% compared to conventional mortar, while maintaining the required strength for masonry construction.
Read more at Newcastle University
Image: Thermal conductivity. (Credit: Kaniaw Marof)
