Fabrication of Thermal Insulation Bricks Using Pleurotus florida Spent Mushroom

Sally A Ali; Marwa Kamal Fahmy; Nasser Zouli; Ahmed Abutaleb; Ibrahim M Maafa; Ayman Yousef; M M Ahmed

doi:10.3390/ma16144905

Fabrication of Thermal Insulation Bricks Using Pleurotus florida Spent Mushroom

Materials (Basel). 2023 Jul 9;16(14):4905. doi: 10.3390/ma16144905.

Authors

Sally A Ali¹, Marwa Kamal Fahmy², Nasser Zouli³, Ahmed Abutaleb³, Ibrahim M Maafa³, Ayman Yousef^{3

4}, M M Ahmed⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo 11795, Egypt.
² Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering at Mataria, Helwan University, Cairo 11718, Egypt.
³ Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Mathematics and Physics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at Mataria, Helwan University, Cairo 11718, Egypt.

Abstract

This study explores the potential for making lightweight bricks via the use of dry, pulverized spent mushroom materials (SMM) as a thermal insulator. There are five distinct replacement proportions of SMM that are used, and they range from 0% to 15% of the weight of the clay. The firing of the fabricated bricks at temperatures of 700, 800, and 900 °C led to the development of pores on the interior surface of the bricks as a consequence of the decomposition of SMM. The impact of SMM on the physicomechanical characteristics of fabricated bricks is assessed based on standard codes. Compressive strength, bulk density, and thermal conductivity decreased as the SMM content increased, reaching up to 8.7 MPa, 1420 kg/m³, and 0.29 W/mK at 900 °C and 15% substitution percentage. However, cold water absorption, boiling water absorption, linear drying shrinkage, linear firing shrinkage, and apparent porosity increased with the increase in SMM, reaching 23.6%, 25.3%, and 36.6% at 900 °C and 15% substitution percentage. In the study simulation model, there was a significant improvement in energy consumption, which reached an overall reduction of 29.23% and 21.49% in Cario and Jazan cities, respectively.

Keywords: bio-based materials; energy efficiency buildings; lightweight bricks; spent mushroom materials; thermal insulation.

Grants and funding

The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through project number ISP22-4.