Cellulose Fibre
Property
Cellulose fibre is a loose fill insulation, which means it leaves no gaps. It is the most abundant biopolymer on earth, it is synthesised by all higher plants and a wide variety of other organisms. Cellulose as a raw-material is a non-toxic, harmless, biodegradable and recyclable.
In spite of these good properties it is underused especially for producing fibres, films, water-soluble polymers and other chemicals. The use of cellulose for these applications is limited because of difficulties in processing it which is caused by its fibrillar structure and lack of solubility in common solvents. Some of the pollution caused by cellulose-based industries is a direct consequence. This pollution could be very much reduced by improving the reactivity of cellulose.
Physical Properties
| Property | Typical Values |
| Service Temperature | -60 to 90ºC |
| Thermal conductivity ( K ) | 0.035 W/mK |
| Specific Gravity | 1.3 to 1.7 |
| Moisture Absorption and Release | Cellulose fibre can absorb and release moisture without significant loss of thermal resistivity. |
| Resistance to Fire | Cellulose fibre has greater fire resistance than cellular plastic insulants |
| Resistance to Decay | Prolonged exposure to water will cause the cellulose to degrade, in common with any organic material. Treatment of the fibre with boron salts prevents attack from rodents, moulds or fungi.
When properly installed Cellulose fibre will retain its loft and thermal performance for the life of the building. |
Installation
Spray
Cellulose fibre can be spray-installed by trained installers into walls and warm roof constructions to completely fill voids around services before dry lining.
Manual
Cellulose fibre can be fluffed by hand and placed in loft spaces between and over joists to fill all gaps and corners.
- Avoid compressing Cellulose fibre with stored items as this will reduce the effectiveness of the material.
- Ensure the insulation is not in contact with any lights or other heat source recessed into the ceiling as over-heating of the unit may result.
Cellulose fibre is harmless and can be installed without gloves or protective clothing. It is not irritating to the skin, eyes or respiratory system, nor is it harmful if accidentally ingested. It is recommended that a disposable dust mask to BS6016 Part1 : EM149 is used when installing the product in a confined space
Classification
Standard for Cellulose Fibre Insulation (CFI) for Buildings*:
- Type 1: is a loose-fill product intended for pneumatic application to open areas or injection into closed cavities. This type can be manually pour-applied.
- Type 2: is intended to be pneumatically sprayed-applied with water to a maximum of 20% moisture content, to open areas, or into open cavities that will be eventually enclosed.
* National Building Code of Canada (NBC) 1995
Performance Requirements for Physical Properties of CFI (type 1 and 2):
| Property | Requirement |
| Thermal Resistivity | Min 18.5 mK/W |
| Open Flammability | Min 0.12 W/cm² |
| Open Flammability Permanency | Min 0.12 W/cm² |
| Surface Burning Characteristics | Type 1: max 150 FSI Type 2: max 25 FSI |
| Smoulder Resistance | Max 15% |
| Moisture Vapour Sorption | Max 20% |
| Corrosiveness | No perforations. Mass loss of truss plates shall not exceed that of control by more than 25% in 1 of 3 |
| Fungi Resistance | Fungal growth shall not exceed that of the comparative item |
| Separation of Chemicals | Max 15% |
| Added Water | Max 20% (type 2) |
| Settlement-Open Space | Min 5% (type 2) |