Desenvolvimento de compósito de pu de mamona com carga de resíduo de couro para isolação térmica

The standardization of the bovine skin thickness in the leather industry generates a residue known as wet-blue . At the end of twentieth century, the brazilian industry discarded about 131 thousand tons of this residue in nature, provoking a great environmental liability. In this paper is presented the analyses of the termophysical properties, thermal and volumetric expansion performance of a composite of vegetable resin of castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) with load of industrial residue of leather "wet-blue", for application as thermal isolation material of warm surfaces. There were considered four percentile levels of residue load in the proportions in mass of 0%, 5%, 10% and 15%, added to the expansible resin of castor oil plant in two configurations: sawed leather and crushed leather in a smaller particle (powder) by grinding in a mill of balls. Twenty-one proof bodies were produced for termophysical properties analysis (three for each configuration) and four proof bodies for rehearsals of thermal acting. Analyses of thermal acting were done in test cameras. The results of the rehearsals were compared to those obtained considering the castor oil plant foam without residue addition. A small reduction of the thermal conductivity of the composite was observed in the proportion of 10% of leather residue in both configurations. Regarding thermal conductivity, calorific capacity and diffusivity, it was verified that the proposed composite showed very close values to the commercial insulating materials (glass wool, rock wool, EPS). It was still demonstrated the technical viability of the use of composite as insulating thermal for systems of low potency. The composite presented larger volumetric expansion with 15% of sawed residue of leather.