Full title of the project: Biowaste-derived carbon-negative materials for acoustics (BCN-ACU) (FinnCERES)
Researchers at Aalto University have discovered a way to convert polysaccharides from biowaste into a material that can outperform glass wool and other commercially used sound absorption materials with similar thickness.
Researchers at Aalto University are developing a way to convert biowaste into a new, sustainable sound-absorbing material. One of the intended outcomes for the research project is to create alternatives to mineral wool construction materials that are commonly used for sound absorption and thermal insulation.
The cellulose-based material, which provides an alternative to traditional acoustic panels, was successfully tested in a protected building owned by Aalto University.
FinnCERES is a competence centre, jointly formed by Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland in the area of materials bioeconomy. Its mission is to harness the natural properties of lignocellulose to create new sustainable materials.
FinnCERES programme is enabled by: Aalto University, VTT, Academy of Finland and its Flagship Programme.
The Multifunctional Materials Design group is conducting research under the FinnCERES theme 'Electronics, Optics and Energy Applications'. We aim to approach the research challenges from different angles.
The core idea of the project is to substitute current market standard insulator materials, rock and glass wool, with biowaste-based sound and thermal absorbents. As proof-of-concepts, we will develop silent air duct and silencer for air conditioning pipes that bind the carbon of biowaste to buildings for decades. The proposed research combines distinct expertise of Chemical and Acoustical Engineering and aims at paradigm shift in construction industry by demonstrating that biobased products can exceed the performance of state-of-the-art materials in multiple occasions in building materials. Industrial scalability and circular economy, with the prospect of providing urgently needed carbon-negative construction materials, are at the core of this multidisciplinary research.
Construction industry uses a lot of materials for sound and thermal insulation. Current solutions are
glass wool, made from recycled glass, and rock wool, made of rock or sand. However, the production process includes high temperatures, thus requiring a lot of energy. Our core idea is to substitute current acoustic absorption materials with biowaste-based sound absorbents to bring a carbon-negative alternative to construction industry. Our preliminary research has shown that bio-based materials exceed the performance of the market leaders both in absolute terms and normalized by density. With a few example applications we will show the capabilities of bio-based materials to foster the large-scale transition to carbon-negative solutions in construction industry.
As motivated in the abstract our aim is to make a paradigm shift in the construction business. Many of the current thermal and sound insulation materials can be changed to bio-based products that are carbon-negative. Currently, most of the knowledge is there, but the manufactures need convincing examples of products to understand the urgently needed change for the future. Regarding societal impact, the development of novel materials, as proposed here, and implementation of circular economy approaches should allow overcoming the sustainability problems of current market standards, glass and rock wool, as well as polyurethane foams. Considering that our materials are inherently compatible with the requirements for construction materials for Carbon Neutral Europe policy, export potential of these type of novel carbon-negative products can easily reach the scale to hundreds of millions of euros.
"BCN-ACU: Biowaste-derived carbon-negative materials for acoustics" (by Marike Langhans)
Sustainable Materials Research Summit - Helsinki, FINLAND
25 April 2024 | Hybrid event: Paasitorni, Helsinki & Online. This event, organized by the FinnCERES Flagship and Aalto Bioinnovation Center, brings together top experts to highlight the societal impact of innovative bio-based materials.
Accountable project leader (MMD): Prof. Jaana Vapaavuori ([email protected])
Project researchers:
Marike Langhans, Doctoral Candidate ([email protected])
This project is a consortium project that is being implemented in collaboration with Aalto Acoustics Lab.
Virtual Acoustics research group (led by Prof. Tapio Lokki)
Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics (School of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University)
Lumir Oy participates in the project.
Group led by Professor Jaana Vapaavuori
The Aalto Acoustics Lab is a multidisciplinary research center focusing on audio processing and spatial sound technologies. The laboratory gathers professors and research teams from three different units: Department of Information and Communications Engineering, Department of Computer Science, and Department of Art and Media.
MMD projects funded by FinnCERES (theme Energy)
