Research on Thermal Insulation and Durability of Bio-Based Thermal Insulation Materials and Its Prospect of Engineering Application

TL;DR

This paper reviews bio-based thermal insulation materials, comparing their performance and durability to traditional options, and highlights their potential for sustainable construction.

Contribution

The study provides a systematic review and comparative analysis of bio-based thermal insulation materials, identifying key performance factors and future research directions.

Findings

Bio-based materials like straw bales and cork boards show thermal conductivity comparable to EPS and mineral wool.

Durability issues include degradation from temperature-humidity cycles and biological erosion, which can be mitigated through composite modification.

Challenges in engineering applications include susceptibility to humidity, high costs, and lack of standards.

Abstract

This study takes the relevant literature published in the past decade as the research object, screens the literature by setting clear inclusion and exclusion criteria, and systematically reviews the thermal insulation performance, durability, and prospects for engineering applications of bio-based thermal insulation materials by means of qualitative integration and comparative analysis. With the advantages of low energy consumption, renewability, and biodegradability, bio-based thermal insulation materials have emerged as a green alternative to traditional thermal insulation materials. This paper systematically reviews the research progress of such materials, which are classified into two categories: natural biomass (e.g., straw bales and cork boards) and bio-based composites. The core thermal insulation indicators include thermal conductivity, thermal resistance, and thermal storage coefficient, and the performance is affected by factors such as component ratio, pore structure, temperature, and humidity. The thermal conductivity of some bio-based materials is comparable to that of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and mineral wool. In terms of durability, temperature–humidity cycling, corrosion, biological erosion, and mechanical action are the main causes of performance degradation, and composite modification can effectively improve their stability. Current engineering applications face challenges such as thermal insulation performance being susceptible to humidity, poor construction compatibility, high costs, and a lack of relevant standards. Future research should focus on the development of high-performance composite systems, the investigation of long-term durability mechanisms, the innovation of low-cost green preparation technologies, and the establishment of unified standards, so as to promote the large-scale application of bio-based thermal insulation materials in the construction industry and contribute to the achievement of carbon neutrality goals.

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