Towards NetZero: Sustainable Binders for Mineral Rock Wool Insulation

Mineral rock wool is a fibrous material formed by spinning or drawing molten mineral or rock material such as slag and ceramic. It retains its flexible, low-density, structure with binders that are spray coated onto the fibres. Thermal treatment induces monomer polymerisation and adhesive properties help bind the fibres together to give a highly efficient thermal insulation product. This project aims to understand the effect that these coatings of sustainable organic binders have on the physical and mechanical properties of mineral rock wool and related materials. The project is suitable for an enthusiastic scientist or engineer interested in multi-disciplinary research with a higher-level Bachelors and Masters degrees in a chemical, material or engineering field. The successful applicant will develop analytical skills in electron microscopy and surface analysis, material science, mechanical and chemical properties. We wish to understand in more detail how sustainable sugar-based binders coat mineral wool substrates and provide the adhesion that gives the important insulation product properties observed. This information will be used to understand failure modes within the structure leading to design and testing of improved sustainable binders.

The industry sponsor and partner in this project are world leaders in this field. This product, and related ones, such as Ecose™, are sold widely and impact greatly upon reducing greenhouse gas emissions by improving the efficiency of domestic and commercial energy consumption. The results of this project will address to these globally important aims. It is expected that the student will spend up to 3 months in the industry sponsor’s labs, to help translate findings or use equipment or methods not available at the University of Leeds, and to observe industry working practices and procedures.

The academic supervisors are Professor Rik Drummond-Brydson is a Chair in Nanomaterials Characterisation and coordinates the Leeds Electron Microscopy and Spectroscopy (LEMAS) Centre in the School of Chemical and Process Engineering and Bragg Centre for Materials Research at the University of Leeds. He will advise on the use materials characterisation methods and associated data interpretation to study the chemical microstructure of the materials. Professor Blacker is Chair of Process Chemistry and has relevant industrial and academic experience in process development and scale-up. He is the deputy director of the Molecule to Product Centre for Doctoral Training.