chemical, physical and mechanical properties of hybrid foam concrete panels made of polyurethane and white portland cement

Indoor heat blockage panels are important wall material for energy saving and room convenience, especially in tropical regions. the panels are prepared from hybrid foam concrete made of various percentages of polyurethane (pur), and white portland cement (wcm). the properties were studied based on the chemical reaction mechanism, physical parameters, and mechanical characteristics. hybrid foam is fabricated in the form of wall panels by mixing diphenylmethane-4,4’-diisocyanate and blended polyol consisting of ethylene glycol, catalyst, surfactant, and portland white cement filler with varying pur matrix composition. xrf, xrd, ft-ir, and sem analyses were conducted to identify the reaction mechanism, both cementation and polymerization reactions. thermal conductivity and thermogravimetry analysis were conducted to determine the thermal properties of the panels. the xrf analysis on wcm specimens deduced the ca(oh)2 content of 81.366%, and xrd analysis of the hydration reaction recorded the presence of csh at an angle of 2θ = 29° to 2θ = 35°, with insignificant crystallinity properties. in the percentage of 25% and 60% pur, the porosities were 11.24% and 17.95%, respectively. it confirmed the density reduction from 1,251 kg/m³ to 1,100 kg/m³. the thermal conductivity decreased consistently as the percentage of pur increased. the lowest thermal conductivity was recorded at 0.0882 w/mk (pur 60%). at 60% pur, the compressive strength ranged from 5 to 8 mpa (7–28 days of curing time). thermogravimetric behaviors of the pur-wcm hfc showed that the two-stage decomposition peaks; at 373 k and 596 k, represented the dehydration of csh and the decomposition of pur. this material has the proper characteristics for a thermal insulation material since it has appropriate heat resistance, low thermal conductivity, and acceptable mechanical strength.