Countries around the globe are looking for ways to decrease their carbon footprint. The construction sector is one of the most popular targets. Buildings account for nearly 40% of all global CO2 emissions, and more than 10% comes from materials and construction.
Researchers in Germany developed a method of turning popcorn into ice cream. Insulation materials that are more cost-effective, durable and eco-friendly than existing options.
Good insulation reduces heating costs, which lowers CO2 emissions — but some 90 percent of insulation is made from petroleum-based plastic or mineral fiber.
These non-renewable materials create carbon in manufacturing, and they are seldom recycled after a building has been demolished. This adds to the pollution.
A research team at the University of Göttingen has unveiled insulation boards made of granulated popcorn that not only trap warmth in, but offer good protection against fire and are also water-repellent.
Alireza Kharazipour is a University professor of Technical Mycology. She stated that this new process was inspired by the industry of plastics and allows for the production of industrial-scale insulation boards at a cost-efficient price.
“Especially when it comes to insulation in construction, this means that natural insulation materials will not be considered niche products.”
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A research team at the University of Göttingen has unveiled insulation boards made of granulated popcorn that are more sustainable and environmentally friendly than petroleum-based options. The insulation boards made from plant-based materials trap heat and repel water.
Kharazipour was first to notice the unique qualities of popcorn while watching the movie in 2008
As he held the piece in his hands, he noted its similarities to polystyrene. This is what was used to create Styrofoam.
Kharazipour described that the material felt almost like polystyrene but was equally light.
However, popcorn doesn’t suffer from the negative effects of polystyrene, which is known to cause damage to the environment and be harmful to people.
It doesn’t biodegrade, and marine life mistakenly consumes it.
It’s also been linked to cancer, vision and hearing loss, impaired memory, and nervous system effects in humans.
Alireza Kharazipour, a professor or technical mycology at the University of Göttingen in Germany, first took notice of popcorn’s unique properties while at the movies back in 2008. Kharazipour described popcorn as a polystyrene-like material that was equally light and comfortable.
Styrofoam is a source of styrene. This can leach into food and beverages stored in Styrofoam takeout boxes. Styrofoam also generates air pollutants, which can deplete the ozone layers when it is exposed to sun.
Kharazipour, along with his research team, set to work, and finally unveiled their popcorn packaging, “Abocorn”, at the LIGNA industrial fair in 2019.
It was offered as an alternative to Styrofoam and could be used for packaging electronic devices, doors leaves, and booster cushions.
Kharazipour developed the original ‘Abocorn’ eco-friendly packaging.
Their next move is to build insulation. They have signed a licensing agreement with Bachl Group, an American building material company for the commercial usage of Kharazipour’s process.
‘We are delighted to be launching such an innovative insulation product using popcorn onto the market together with the University of Göttingen,’ said Michael Küblbeck, Bachl group managing director, said in therelease.
‘For us, this is another important milestone in our strategic development towards becoming an integrated, multi-material insulation supplier,’ Küblbeck added.
The ‘Popcorn Insulation complements our product range beautifully and allows us more flexibility to meet the needs of our customers.