Source: THERMOCORE OF MISSOURI, L.L.C. submitted to NRP
SOY-BASED STRUCTURAL INSULATED PANELS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT HOUSING
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SMALL BUSINESS GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1019702
Grant No.
2019-33610-29808
Cumulative Award Amt.
$100,000.00
Proposal No.
2019-00744
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Aug 15, 2019
Project End Date
Apr 14, 2020
Grant Year
2019
Program Code
[8.8]- Biofuels and Biobased Products
Recipient Organization
THERMOCORE OF MISSOURI, L.L.C.
8805 STONEY GAP RD
JEFFERSON CITY,MO 651018006
Performing Department
President/CEO
Non Technical Summary
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are widely used construction panels in residential and commercial applications. SIPs have insulating foam, sandwiched between two Oriented Strand Boards (OSBs). SIPs provide design flexibility, faster installations, reduced man hours and reduced maintenance. Core materials for SIPs are chosen for their insulating properties. Thermocore of Missouri (Thermocore) has developed SIPs filled with PU foam that have been proved to provide good mechanical strength and insulation as compared to traditional building materials.In the proposed work, Thermocore will collaborate with Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) and MCPU Polymer Engineering (MCPU), for manufacturing and performance evaluation of soy-based PU foam, replacing traditional petroleum based foams with 100% soy-based foam.In Phase I of this project, formulation of soy-based foams will be optimized and effects of three surfactants (Tegostab 8870, Sodium Xiameter OFX-0193 and Dowfax 8390) will be investigated on the mechanical and thermal properties. Also, the properties of the developed foams will be enhanced by embedding hollow glass beads (HGB) and nano-clay particles. By the end of Phase I, laboratory scale structural insulated panels will be made using the soy-based foam and their performance will be evaluated and compared with the traditional structural panels.In Phase II, the SIPs built in Phase I will be scaled up for use in modular housing. Developed SIP panels will be evaluated for structural properties, insulation, and flame retardancy. The proposed SIP for energy-efficient buildings can be implemented in all building applications including schools, hospitals, military shelters, office buildings and refrigeration industry.
Animal Health Component
70%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
70%
Developmental
20%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
40118202020100%
Knowledge Area
401 - Structures, Facilities, and General Purpose Farm Supplies;

Subject Of Investigation
1820 - Soybean;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering;
Goals / Objectives
The objective of this research is to develop soy-based high insulation PU foams that can be used as core material in SIPs, for energy-efficient and modular building construction. Thermocore has developed a stud-less framing system utilizing a patented 4 in. (101.6 mm) R-24 structural insulated panel (SIP), resulting in wall systems with twice the insulating power of traditional exterior walls. Therefore, the underlying technical challenges and viabilities associated with the performance and manufacturing of SIPs with soy-based foams will be evaluated during this research. The proposed work will involve:Surfactant Optimization: As indicated by the pilot study at Missouri S&T, the properties of the foam are dictated by the cell size. It has been proved by various researchers that the properties of the foam, namely stability and foamability are greatly dependent on surfactant used. For this study, three surfactants (Tegostab 8870, Sodium Xiameter OFX-0193 and Dowfax 8390) will be investigated for better foamability and volume production of the foam. In addition, the formulations will be optimized for maximum thermal insulation, without any significant loss of structural strength.Optimizing thermal and strength properties of foam: Studies have shown the effect of the various size of HGB leading to improved thermal insulation and compressive strength of the foam samples. Also, the addition of nano-clay leads to improvement in flame resistance. The foam formulation will be investigated for correct amount and size of hollow glass beads (HGB) to achieve the better properties. Similarly, the optimum amount of nano-clay will be investigated to achieve better flame retardance, without significant loss of insulation and strength properties.Manufacturing of SIPs with soy-based foams: The performance of SIPs with soy-based foams will be evaluated using lab scale SIPs of size 10 in. x 10 in. (254 mm x 254 mm) at Missouri S&T and compared with the performance of petroleum based SIPs.At the completion of this study, the results will address the following key issues:Can soy-based foams be used to replace traditional petroleum-based foams as insulating materials in SIPs?How do the properties of the SIPs change when soy-based foams are used?How does the energy consumption required for heating and cooling of a house built using SIPs with soy-based foams compare with a house built using traditional materials?
Project Methods
As part of Phase I, low-density PU foams using soy-based polyols will be developed and its mechanical and thermal performance will be evaluated. The developed foam will be optimized for maximum thermal insulation. The targeted R-value for the proposed bio-based foams with glass beads/ nano-clay is expected to have better insulation value than the petroleum based foam (28 m.K/W). This will allow it be competitive in the market with other petroleum based foams. Once the R-value is achieved lab-scale SIPs will be built with soy-based PU foams as an insulating layer. The performance of this new foam will be evaluated and compared with that of traditional materials. In order to address the above-mentioned challenges, the following tasks will be conducted:Optimization of formulation of soy-based foamEnhancement of thermal insulation of soy-based foamPerformance evaluation of soy-based foamDensity measurementCompression force deflection test (ASTM 3574-Test C)Thermal conductivity (ASTM C518)Moisture absorption test (ASTM D2842)Tensile test (ASTM D1623-Type C)Injection of soy-based PU foam in small-scale SIP panelsPerformance evaluation of small-scale SIP panels with soy-based PU foamsMarket commercialization plan

Progress 07/01/19 to 04/14/20

Outputs
Target Audience:Thermocore of Missouri customers Missouri University of Science and Technology graduate and undergraduate students Soy polyol supplier companies Changes/Problems:During Phase-I effort, Soy PU foam provided by MCPU Polymer Engineering LLC was injected into small-scale OSB sheets using the foam injection set-up at Missouri S&T and Thermocore of Missouri in order to manufacture Class I closed-cell PU foam. After the foam is injected in-between the OSB skins, the insulated panel was visually inspected for voids in the foam and defects. Due to COVID 19 lockdown, Task 5 was not completed. Task 5 focuses on the mechanical testing and performance evaluation of SIP panels injected with soy-based PU foam. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Undergraduate and graduate students trainning in manufacturing and characterization of soy-based foams at Missouri University of Science and Technology. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results are currently being assembled and final findings will be published in a peer-review journal What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Report Summary During the Phase I period soy-based polyurethane (PU) foams were produced by varying the amount of different surfactants (Tegostab 8870, Tegostab 8466, Sodium Xiameter OFX-0193 Dowfax 2937 and Dowfax 2938) in the formulation. The prepared samples were tested for mechanical and thermal properties to see the effect of different surfactants on the properties. TGA test was performed to compare thermo-oxidative degradation behavior of the fabricated samples. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was performed to investigate the effect of surfactants on the organic groups present in the PU foams. The absorption spectra were recorded and analyzed within the range of 400-4000 cm-1. The morphology of the foam samples was observed using scanning electron microscopy. Critical mechanical properties for the foam were evaluated using compression force deflection, and constant deflection compression set tests. Also, studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of adding hollow glass beads and nano-clay inclusions on foam properties. One observation made after the water, catalyst, and surfactant were mixed was that the surface tension of the blend was a primary factor effecting the properties of PU foam. It was observed that with the increase of the amount of surfactant from 0.5 g to 2.0 g, the surface tension of the polyol blend was decreased. It was found that the properties such as density, cell size and moisture absorbance of the soy-based foams samples decreased as the amount of surfactant increased, whereas thermal resistivity and compression strength was increased. Also, the density and thermal resistivity of foam samples increased with the inclusion of hollow glass beads and nano-clay into the formulation. The objectives and progress made are outlined below: Objectives: Identify different surfactants used in formulating soy-based rigid Polyurethane (PU) foams and to optimize the formulations for maximum thermal insulation, without any significant loss of structural strength. Optimize the thermal and mechanical strength properties of the soy-based PU foams by the addition of nano-clay and hollow glass beads. To inject soy-based PU foam in small-scale SIP panels To evaluate the performance of small-scale SIP panels with soy-based PU foam and compare the performance with petroleum-based counter parts. Progress Made Towards Objectives: Different soy-based polyols, surfactants, hollow glass beads and nano-clay were identified. Different formulations by varying surfactants amounts were studied and optimized for thermal insulation. Chemical and rheology characterization was performed on the manufactured 100 % soy-based foam and found that surface tension of the polyol blend plays a prominent role on the resultant mechanical properties of the foam. Thermal insulation of the soy-based foams was further increased by the addition of hollow glass beads and nano-clay. Structural insulated panel with 100% soy-based foam were manufactured. Conclusions During Phase-I period of the project, low-density PU foams using soy-based polyols were developed and its mechanical and thermal performance were evaluated. The developed foam was optimized for maximum thermal insulation. The targeted R-value for the proposed bio-based foams with glass beads/ nano-clay have better insulation value than the petroleum-based foam. Once the R-value is achieved lab-scale SIPs were built with soy-based PU foams as an insulating layer. Future Work In Phase II, the optimized foam formulation with nano-engineered additives will be used to manufacture SIP panels. The SIP panels will be evaluated for structural properties, insulation, and flame retardancy. The formulation will be optimized for flame retardancy and anti-rodent based applications. This work will be extended to a new soy-based polyol system (Enviropol from Tailored Chemical Products, Inc.). The new formulation will be optimized, and the properties of the foam will be evaluated. SIP panels with soy-based foam will be manufactured and tested for performance evaluation. A modular house (500 Sq. ft.) will be built at Thermocore using soy-based SIPs to demonstrate the feasibility of this new product. The proposed soy-based SIPs for energy-efficient buildings can be implemented in all building applications including schools, hospitals, military shelters, office buildings and refrigeration industry.

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