Thermal performance and sound absorption capability of water hyacinth stems-based materials

The main aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of water hyacinth stem as insulation material by analysing its thermal and acoustic performance. Several particleboards and composites were prepared by adding either binders or blending water hyacinth stem with other construction materials. During the preparation of the samples, various factors including sample thickness, average particle size of water hyacinth stem in the samples, degree of compaction, and type of binder used were taken into consideration. Particleboards manually compacted prepared with water hyacinth stem particles size range of 1–2 mm and a 14 mm thickness showed the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient and highest value of the weighted absorption coefficient. Additionally, composites prepared with water hyacinth stem particles mixed with gypsum reached lower thermal conductivity and higher sound absorption coefficient values than those observed for cement-based composites obtained under the same preparation conditions. The values found in this study and those published in the literature for other types of biomass materials suggest that water hyacinth stem has significant potential for use, either alone or in combination with other materials, as a thermal and acoustic conditioning material. [Display omitted] •Water hyacinth stem: waste turned promising thermal insulator and acoustic absorber.•Conductivity of particleboards increased with compaction and WHS larger particles.•NRC and αw values decreased with compaction and varied with the WHS particle size.•High thickness improved performance, shifting sound absorption to lower frequencies.•Matrix material and binders in composites impacted thermal and acoustic properties.