Low density NANOnanocellular POLymers for thermal insulation in buildings. Basic heat transfer mechanisms and LCA - NANOPOL

Project summary

Nanocellular polymers (cells in the nanoscale) represent a breakthrough in the field of thermal insulation of buildings due to the combination of ultra-low thermal conductivity (≤ 12 mW/mK) and low cost (≤10 €/m2), which are not achievable with current materials. However, density of these materials (≥200 kg/m3) is still too high to have ultra-low thermal conductivity, which is the main bottleneck identified towards reaching a TRL 4. NANOPOL project aims at exploring innovative strategies in the field of nanocellular foams to reduce density, such as forming external layers reinforced with nanoparticles and creating a bimodal cellular structure in the inner core. In addition, a new heat transfer model and a LCA will be developed, which will help to identify key aspects to reduce further thermal conductivity and to quantify the key environmental impacts of these revolutionary materials: cutting down the energy consumed in buildings and reducing raw material consumption and GHG emissions.