The environmental and acoustic performance of sunflower stems
(04-03-2024) The researchers from LCA - Toulouse INP/INRAE and INSA/INRAE/CNRS found that the pith of sunflower stems had insulating properties and could therefore play a role in the transition to a low-carbon fossil fuel economy.
To reduce the use of synthetic materials in the manufacture of acoustic panels, scientists from the agro-industrial chemistry laboratory (LCA - Toulouse INP/INRAE) and the Toulouse biotechnology institute (INSA/INRAE/CNRS) at the INRAE Occitanie-Toulouse centre have investigated the pith inside sunflower stems.
This material makes it possible to produce panels that are not only effective at absorbing noise, but also have a much lower environmental impact.
To reduce noise reverberation in interior spaces, acoustic insulation panels are fitted to ceilings and partitions. The LCA and TBI laboratories have developed panels from sunflower stem pith and analysed their life cycle. The results are published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
More info about the article and the study can be found on this website.