ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES OF SELECTED THERMAL INSULATION MATERIALS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO POLLUTION OF ENVIRONMENT

The sound absorption of the expanded polystyrene (EPS), EPS enhanced with graphite (EPS Grey), mineral wool and material made from the technical textile materials was measured. The measurement was carried out the transfer function method by means Kundt's tube Bruel & Kjaer 4206. The sound absorption of mineral wool and material from technical textile has the same trends, i.e. is higher at the lower frequencies and remains nearly constant for frequencies between 1 kHz and 7.6 kHz. EPS and EPS Grey reached maximum sound absorption in a narrow interval around frequency 1,300 Hz. A number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs - primarily toluene, xylene and styrene) released from the three types insulation materials (EPS, EPS Grey and material from technical textile) were measured. The method headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) was used to determine of VOCs. The samples from each material were exposed during 1 hour to temperatures 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 720, 140, 160, 180 and 200 degrees C. The release of monitored substances (toluene, xylene and styrene) was recorded from EPS already at 60 degrees C in contrast to material from technical textiles when VOCs started to be released at the temperature 80 degrees C (toluene) and at 100 degrees C (xylene). The results indicate that our tested material made from recycled technical textiles has a high sound absorption and it pollutes the indoor environment with VOCs a lesser extent than commonly used EPS.