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The impact of accelerated weathering exposure on the mechanical, thermal and chemical properties of natural insulators : natural cork, agglomerated cork and expanded cork
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A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
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en
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22
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Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Volume 25, issue 5-6
Abstract
Cork materials, valued for their sustainability and thermal insulating properties, are gaining use as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic insulation in building facades, among other architectural, construction, and building applications. However, the ageing effects caused by weathering exposure are yet to be investigated. Understanding how these materials respond to outdoor environmental stressors is essential to ensure their long-term performance in facade systems and other exposed building elements. Therefore, this study examines the effects of accelerated ultraviolet (UV) ageing and freeze–thaw (FT) cycles on natural, agglomerated, and expanded cork’s structure, mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. Each cork type underwent UV and FT ageing, simulating seasonal environmental conditions, and was subsequently analysed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), compressive mechanical testing, and thermal analysis. UV exposure leads to the degradation of the cellular structure in all types of cork, with particularly significant in expanded cork. On the other hand, FT cycles primarily affect agglomerated cork. FTIR analysis corroborates these structural changes from SEM observations, showing spectral changes associated with suberin and lignin degradation in UV-exposed cork. However, only expanded cork exhibits changed or erased bands when exposed to FT cycles. Mechanical testing indicates that UV exposure reduces the compressive strength of natural cork, whereas FT cycles led to a slight increase in the agglomerated one and a significant decline for natural and expanded cork. Thermal tests reveal that UV exposure increases thermal conductivity and specific heat in natural cork but reduces diffusivity, while agglomerated cork experiences an increase in conductivity and diffusivity for the same conditions. FT cycles generally increase the conductivity of all cork types, while thermal diffusivity decreases for expanded cork and decreases for both natural and agglomerated cork.
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Publisher Copyright: © Wroclaw University of Science and Technology 2025.
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Sousa, G J A, Fernandes, F A O, Figueiredo, S, Caetano, A P F, Novais, R M, de Sousa, R J A & Pereira, A B 2025, 'The impact of accelerated weathering exposure on the mechanical, thermal and chemical properties of natural insulators : natural cork, agglomerated cork and expanded cork', Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, vol. 25, no. 5-6, 279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43452-025-01339-8