Ecoefficiency of Thermal Insulation Sandwich Panels Based on Fly Ash modified With Colloidal Mesoporous Silica

The current practice of landfilling fly ash generated by waste incineration is non-sustainable, so alternative ways of using this material are needed. Silanization effectively immobilizes the heavy metal contaminants incineration fly ash and enables its circular utilization because silanized fly ash (SFA) has market value as a low-cost filler for polymer composites. This study examines the ecoefficiency of a thermal insulation panel that consists of a polyurethane (PU) foam core sandwiched between two epoxy composite skins prepared by reinforcing glass fibers (GF) and SFA in epoxy resin. The ecoefficiency of such panels was evaluated by comparing their life cycle environmental externality costs (LCEE) to their life cycle costs (LCC). The LCEE was calculated by monetizing the panels’ environmental impacts, which were quantified by performing a life cycle assessment (LCA). The results revealed that the ecoefficiency of the composite panels is positive (47%) and superior to that of market incumbent alternati...