Influence of hydrophilic polymers based on polyvinyl alcohol and starch on physico-mechanical properties of thermal insulation materials

Thermal insulating materials based on diatomite with burnable and reinforcing additives modified with synthetic and natural polymers have been developed. A mixture of polyvinyl alcohol and starch was used as modifying polymers. The parameters of linear shrinkage, density, tensile strengths in compression and bending, as well as the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the material were determined depending on the concentration and ratio of polymers. It was established that polymer additives had a positive effect on almost all specified characteristics of thermal insulating materials. For example, when adding polymers up to 1 mass.%, the linear shrinkage coefficients decrease from 14.5 to 4.5%, the ultimate compression strengths increase from 0.22 to 2.51 MPa, the ultimate bending strengths increase from 0.2 to 1.26 MPa, the coefficients of thermal conductivity decrease from 0.068 to 0.049 W/m.K. The densities of materials are in the range of 0.592-0.491 g/cm(3). The results of the work showed that the obtained heat-insulating materials can be used as plasticizers in the field of thermal energy.