Caracterización de la tifa (typha latifolia) para la construcción de paneles aislantes y su aplicación en la arquitectura

Abstract

This study evaluates the potential of Typha Latifolia (Typha) as a thermal insulating material, responding to the global need to reduce the carbon footprint associated with the production of industrial materials. Previous research has identified that certain phytodepurative plants, such as typha, are sustainable natural fibers with thermal insulating properties due to their physical structure and high biomass production. The methodology employed focused on experimentation to characterize the thermal properties of typha combined with a binder. Typha was crushed into four different sizes and then mixed with PVA (white gum) to produce four types of specimens. The specimens were then tested for: moisture absorption, nominal density, compression; additionally, HT10XC equipment was used to calculate the coefficient of thermal conductivity. The tifa shows an average thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.0874 W/m-K, indicating a moderate thermal insulation capacity. Although it is less efficient than some conventional synthetic materials such as rock wool (0.035-0.045 W/m-K), glass wool (0.023-0.040 W/m-K) or expanded polystyrene foam (0.032-0.040 W/m-K). Analysis of the various test specimens revealed that those composed of whole stems exhibited the best insulating performance, with a thermal conductivity of 0.0646 W/m-K. These results, combined with the renewable, sustainable and widely available nature of typha, underscore its potential as a promising alternative for the development of insulating elements in the construction industry.