Abstract

The aims of this research were to study the production processes and properties of thermal insulation produced from pineapple leaves using natural rubber latex as a binder. Thermal insulation boards were made by spraying the pretreated natural rubber latex onto pineapple fiber to form a squared thermal insulation with the size of 20 and 1.5 cm thickness.  Test results on thermal and physical properties showed that the thermal insulation produced from pineapple leaves fiber exhibited a considerably good thermal insulation. The thermal conductivity of the thermal insulation was 0.035 W/m.K with density of 210 kg/m³, which was closed to the commercial insulator. The result showed that pineapple fibrous insulator was extremely potential to replace the synthesis fibrous insulator.

Key words: Agricultural residue, spray process, insulating boards, low thermal conductivity.