Next generation insulation materials for use within the building envelope

In collaboration with Tata Steel Building Systems UK, this iCASE PhD will study new lightweight, highly insulating, limited combustibility materials for use in sandwich panels for building façade systems in the construction sector. The aim is to develop limited combustibility insulating panels that have the potential to drive a market shift away from traditional insulation types.

Furthermore, the plan is to use waste industrial by-products as raw materials and to deliver products which are fully recyclable at the end of panel life. As such, the new insulation materials will reduce embedded carbon compared to fossil-fuel based organic insulation materials, enhance steel panel system sustainability and ensure that there is no requirement for panel landfilling following building deconstruction.

The aim here is that the new insulation material will be made up predominantly of inorganic, industrial waste by-products, with the individual particles being held in an organic network that also bonds reversibly to the metal skin of the panel. The PhD will also include advanced imaging and analysis facilities, generating chemical, structural, thermal and fire performance information, will be utilised to support the development.

Hence, this exciting project will utilise novel chemistries to create a new insulation material that will underpin a step-change transition in the sustainability of high performance steel sandwich panel products.