Utilization of durian skin fiber in producing heat resistant board insulator

Abstract

Durio Zibethinus Murray, also known as Durian, is a popular fruit in Southeast Asia, primarily grown in tropical countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. This thesis aims to explore the potential of using durian husks as a thermal insulator and develop heat-resistant board insulators with Durian Skin Fiber. The study compares the temperature variations inside a scaled box with different insulators under environmental conditions. It evaluates the Durian Husk Insulator (DHI) and Polyethylene Foam Insulator (PE) resistance to heat. The objective is to promote organic materials as an alternative to the commonly used foam insulator and reduce durian waste. The durian husks are crushed, mixed with a binding agent, and placed in a scaled room with a hygrothermograph to measure the temperature filtered by the DHI. This research is critical in the current climate change scenario, and the study findings would encourage using durian waste to produce sustainable and effective heat-resistant board insulators. Throughout the tests, they found that the Durian Husk performed more effectively as an insulator than PE Foam Insulators. The Durian Husk Insulator consistently provided the best performance and has the potential to be a more cost-effective and sustainable substitute for PE Foam Insulator.