Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: VOC-free, Highly Flame Resistant HybridSil™ Insulation Coatings for Next Generation Thermal Insulation and Energy Efficiency
EPA Contract Number: EPD12025Title: VOC-free, Highly Flame Resistant HybridSil™ Insulation Coatings for Next Generation Thermal Insulation and Energy Efficiency
Investigators: Baranauskas, Vince
Small Business: NanoSonic Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2012 through August 31, 2012
Project Amount: $80,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2012) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Green Buildings
Description:
The objective of this Phase I SBIR program is to develop volatile organic compound (VOC)-free, highly flame-resistant HybridSil® insulation coatings for providing next generation thermal insulation and energy efficiency within commercial and residential buildings.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
During the Phase I SBIR program, NanoSonic has designed and optimized a next generation green certified HybridSil® insulative foam that provides drastically enhanced fire resistance, thermal resilience, environmental durability and rapid spray depositability with no free isocyanates for residential and commercial buildings. Compared to current state-of-the-art spray-deposited polyurethane insulative foams (open and closed), NanoSonics HybridSil® foams provide fire resistance enhancements on the order of 1,250 percent, based on independent ASTM E 1354 fire resistance with Southwest Research Agency (SwRI). Equally important, independent extended emission analysis, completed by Materials Analytical Services (MAS), has proven that NanoSonic's optimized HybridSil® insulative foams are compliant with the performance standard established for low-emitting insulation/sealants under the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method Version 1.1. CDPH provides the benchmark criteria adopted in green building programs such as Green Globes, LEED and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, each of which offers credit for the use of low VOC-emitting materials to improve indoor air quality. R-value determination indicates that optimized systems have thermal conductivities comparable to current state-of-the-art, open-cell polyurethane foams (3.11 to 3.5) while still providing the aforementioned performance advantages. A summary of the performance advantages of HybridSil® insulation foams are included in Table 1, below.
Conclusions:
Through EPA SBIR Phase I funding, NanoSonic has created a pioneering insulative foam that is compliant with the performance standard established for low-emitting insulation/sealants under the CDPH Standard Method Version 1.1. This accolade is based on independent emission testing with MAS. Further, NanoSonics HybridSil® insulative foams provide ASTM E 1354 validated fire resistance that have demonstrated:
- 1,250 percent improvement in time to ignition over both open- and closed-cell commercial polyurethane foam insulation under a 50 kW/m2 heat flux.
- 4,165 percent improvement in dimensional integrity durability over open-cell polyurethane foams and 833 percent improvement over closed-cell polyurethane foams under a 50 kW/m2 heat flux.
Equally important for worker safety and environmental compliance, independent MSDS evaluation indicates HybridSil® insulative foam precursor resins have health ratings of only 1 with negligible health concerns, whereas current foam isocyanate containing precursor resins cause severe irritation to the nose, throat and lungs and often lead to long-term respiratory problems. The R value of down-selected foams are on the order of current state-of-the-art open cell polyurethane foams (3.11 to 3.5) with comparable cost estimates ($0.50 to $0.70 per foot).
Commercialization:
Green Product Certification
One of the most important developments towards commercialization of HybridSil® spray foam insulation is its MAS Certified Green® certification, following an objective analysis by MAS in Atlanta. GA. HybridSil® foam insulation was found to be compliant with the performance standard established for low-emitting insulation/sealants under the CDPH Standard Method Version 1.1. CDPH provides the benchmark criteria adopted in green building programs such as Green Globes, LEED and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, each of which offers credit for the use of low VOC-emitting materials to improve indoor air quality.
Figure 1. Test chamber at Materials Analytical Services for determining product
emissions.
Programs such as MAS Certified Green® delineate low VOC-emitting products in the marketplace so that purchasers and specifies can identify and select products that meet healthier interior green building standards. HybridSil® foam insulation is an appropriate choice for green buildings where high indoor air quality, especially with improved thermal performance, is desired.
As a two-part spray foam, low VOC, non-halogenated, silicon-based insulation coating, HybridSil® is designed to replace spray polyurethane foam (SPF) coatings that can pose environmental hazards, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It provides an alternative to existing SPFs and can effectively compete with existing spray foam insulations on the market.
NanoSonics HybridSil® non-isocyanate composition can eliminate or significantly reduce the risks to safety and health from potentially harmful isocyanates, the key ingredient in SPF, identified by the EPA to possibly cause adverse health effects such as asthma. Also, current fire retardants in spray foam and other insulation materials are mostly halogenated or brominated compounds that can produce harmful toxins if burned, unlike HybridSil®. NanoSonics HybridSil® nanocomposite foam structure provides greater thermal and sound insulation, as well as validated fire resistance, bio-fouling resistance and mechanical durability.
Applied by using conventional equipment, HybridSil® foam expands within seconds to provide lightweight coatings that permeate wall cavities to provide thermal insulation and air sealing, thus reducing energy consumption without introducing potential air pollutants. Based on energy savings alone, spray foam insulations are considered to pay for themselves in approximately 2 years because of their high thermal performance. This makes them attractive for use in buildings that, in the United States, consume approximately 40 percent of all energy use. In fact, space heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) account for the largest amount of end-use energy consumption in both commercial and residential buildings, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Insulation in the building envelope helps mitigate such HVAC energy consumption as it improves the thermal barrier, lowering the amount of energy required to maintain thermal comfort in a building.
While HybridSil® foam insulation material is still in development and undergoing further tests, these early results show tremendous opportunity to fit into the insulation market with superior insulation performance, flame resistance, elimination of halogens, elimination or reduction of potential worker hazards associated with isocyanates, contribution to green building credits, ease of application and reliable performance.
HybridSil® would be a direct competitor to the SPF products.
Superior insulation performance and compliance with codes and regulations are seen as prerequisites for participation in this market. End-users are seeking: zero VOCs, improved fire retardancy, elimination of halogen fire retardants, elimination or reduction of potential worker hazards associated with isocyanates, LEED credits, ease of mixing and use with a wide climactic latitude, reliable application performance, and a lifetime end-purchaser warranty, all of which HybridSil® can provide.
Potential for Success
In a report provided by EPA's consultant, Foresight, expert opinions were solicited on the HybridSil® technology's potential competitive opening. NanoSonic, Inc. is encouraged that HybridSil® is seen as a positive entrant in the market. Mohini Sain of the University of Toronto said that if this technology could replace the isocyanate, it would be very valuable — a miracle — as isocyanate has properties that will be difficult to duplicate. David Marlow, an industrial hygiene engineer with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, agrees that the potential for protection of commercial applicators is attractive, but reserves judgment until a full MSDS is disclosed. Garrett Mosimann, a research fellow at the University of Minnesotas Center for Sustainability Research, believes the most attractive feature of HybridSil® insulation is that it reduces or eliminates the toxicity associated with spray polyurethanes. He felt that another important attribute is the fire retardancy.
Feedback from end-users also has been helpful in providing NanoSonic, Inc. with a big picture view of commercialization and necessary next steps. For example, Brad Kremer, owner of Kremer Construction, warned of product consistency, especially in terms of coverage, stability and handling. He also said that an environmentally-friendly foam insulation that functions as both an air and vapor barrier would be a major innovation, especially if it is competitively priced. Chris Faulstich, owner of Spray Applied Lining and Coatings, believes that a low or no VOC product would be an important benefit to safety and health, and also would need to be easy to apply as well as stable in a wide temperature range.
Green SPF products are priced up to $1.50 per inch per board foot. The respondents felt that HybridSil® would command a premium price, perhaps 10 percent higher than others based on its unique, desirable properties. One respondent noted that, to achieve R-14, the building owners' cost is likely to be $3.50-$5.00/ft2, an expensive initial cost versus alternates. One of NanoSonics goals will be to demonstrate the payback from use of HybridSil® compared to SPF and other insulation materials.
As NanoSonic moves towards introducing HybridSil® commercially, some considerations that position the companys product well in the market include:
- Fiberglass, traditionally the leading insulation material in North America, is being replaced by technologies that provide higher R-values to save energy. This is particularly apparent in residential construction where spray polyurethane foam is rapidly growing and replacing fiber glass.
- Government agencies, including state and local jurisdictions, are more strictly enforcing energy and building codes to achieve energy efficiency. This should benefit all SPFs and especially those that provide the higher R-values.
- Most North America residential wall systems have been built with an R-value of 13 obtained solely from cavity insulation. However, climate zones 3 through 8 (which include most of the 48 contiguous United States) now or soon will require that residential wood-framed wall systems achieve an R-value of 20.
- Closed cell spray polyurethane foams are gaining market share partially because they can add structural strength, essentially bonding a building together. This makes the structure more resistant to hurricanes and high winds.
- Increased societal awareness of the energy savings and tax credits that are available through the use of SPF insulation in energy-efficient homes and buildings is driving its usage.
- There is a significant thrust to eliminate brominated and chlorinated flame retardants from insulation material as they have, in some instances, been shown to be released into indoor air and also have been shown to form toxic dioxins and furans when burned, such as in a fire.
In addition to superior insulation performance per board foot of material and compliance with codes and regulations, end-users are seeking:
- thermal resistance
- fire retardancy
- fire resistance
- safe handling for applicators
- low or no VOCs upon application and in use
- LEED and other green certification
- ease of mixing and use
- thermal stability of A and B components
- reliable performance
- lifetime warranty.
Again, HybridSil® foam insulation technology provides mitigation of many of the problems associated with urethane-based products, but with similar or improved attributes. Based on feedback and research into existing products, NanoSonic believes that it is on the right track for transitioning to the commercial market.
There are several strategic options that could be considered for market penetration, including the following three:
- Partnering with a leader in SPF (such as CertainTeed, Owens Corning, Demilec, etc.) who can bring manufacturing, marketing, distribution, sales, and brand recognition strengths to NanoSonic HybridSil® technology platform. CertainTeed has already expressed interest in talking with NanoSonic further about this technology.
- Building the HybridSil® brand to compete with other SPFs in the marketplace. This option would require investment capital to support manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution. This go-it-alone strategy requires a broader array of data and case studies to build confidence among end-users and influencers. A warranty likely would be required. Among other requirements, this strategy also requires a robust intellectual property platform to defend against reverse engineered or copycat formulations, and might require NanoSonic to finalize a patent.
- To have HybridSil® technology adopted by several suppliers of SPFs, NanoSonic could collaborate with suppliers of the components the company uses, i.e. siloxanes and polyimides. Existing vendors of isocyanates, polyols and bio-based polyols all have a vested interest in the success of SPFs. The concept would be to create a similar vested interest in the success of HybridSil® by collaborating or licensing these raw-material suppliers.
Figure 2. Chand Nadeau of NanoSonic holds a sample of HYBRIDIL spray foam that
achieved MAS certified Green® in August 2012
Figure 3. HYBRIDIL spray foam insulation is a certivied low-VOC emisions product that
contains no halogens, no isocyanates, minimal smoke toxicity and has validated fire resistance.
Supplemental Keywords:
air sealing, energy efficiency, flame resistance, green buildings, indoor air pollution, insulation coatings, thermal insulation, polyurethane foam, VOC-free insulation coating, SBIR, polyurethane-spray foam coatingSBIR Phase II:
Voc-free, Highly Flame-resistant HybridSil® Insulation Coatings for Next-Generation Thermal Insulation and Energy EfficiencyThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.