Thermal Behavior Analysis of Natural Composites Materials Comprising Diatomaceous Earth and Sugarcane Bagasse
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This work quantifies the thermal performance of natural composite blocks made from Yapatera diatomaceous earth reinforced with sugarcane bagasse fibres. Prismatic specimens (185 × 185 mm) with three thicknesses (≈76 mm, 100 mm, and 150 mm) and bagasse contents of 5–15% (wt.) were tested at hot-face temperatures of 100, 250, and 450 °C in a full-factorial 3 × 3 × 3 plan (54 tests). Thermal conductivity (k) was measured using a guarded hot-plate device aligned with ASTM D5470/E1530/C177. The measured k averaged 0.125 W/m·K (range ~0.088–0.220 W/m·K) and remained stable in function up to 500 °C. ANOVA showed that temperature and thickness significantly increased k (p < 0.05), while fibre content had a weaker, non-monotonic effect beyond ~10%. A response-surface model (RSM) provided accurate predictions (R2 ≈ 0.95). For design purposes, thermal resistance was computed as . A 150 mm block yielded R ≈ 1.20 m2K/W, comparable to ~0.40 m of hollow ceramic brick and > 1.0 m of concrete to reach a similar R. The composite therefore occupies a distinct niche: medium-performance insulation with high-temperature stability (≤ 500 °C), low embodied energy (air-dried manufacturing, agro-waste feedstock), and competitive cost potential. These results support its use in industrial and building applications where conventional insulators are unsustainable or operate below the required temperature window.
Institution: Universidad Católica Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo
Language: English
Subfield: Building and Construction
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4414337370
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