Nearly 1.5 million tons of chicken feathers are plucked each year in the UK with the majority of these being sent to landfill. Chicken feathers wasted in the process of food production have increased landfill waste and are adding to our landfill strains.
Chicken feathers have unique structure and properties not found in any natural or synthetic fibres. Although feathers as such cannot be processed as the protein fibres wool and silk due to the complex structure of the feathers, the secondary structures of feathers i.e. the
barbs have the structure and properties that make them suitable for use as natural protein(69) fibres. The low density, excellent compressibility and resiliency, ability to dampen sound, warmth retention and distinctive morphological structure of feather barbs make them unique fibres. For example, the density chicken feathers is about 0.8 g/cm3 compared to about 1.5 g/cm3 for cellulose fibres and about 1.3 g/cm3 for wool.
Chicken feathers have unique structure and properties not found in any natural or synthetic fibres. Although feathers as such cannot be processed as the protein fibres wool and silk due to the complex structure of the feathers, the secondary structures of feathers i.e. the
barbs have the structure and properties that make them suitable for use as natural protein(69) fibres. The low density, excellent compressibility and resiliency, ability to dampen sound, warmth retention and distinctive morphological structure of feather barbs make them unique fibres. For example, the density chicken feathers is about 0.8 g/cm3 compared to about 1.5 g/cm3 for cellulose fibres and about 1.3 g/cm3 for wool.
There has been some previous test in concrete mixes, which have shown potential for using chicken feathers as a fibre reinforcement, for light weight concrete, a concrete mix that offer high flexural strength.
Properties:
light weight, compressibility, sound absorption and heat retention.
Based on Properties what can this do?
• Fiber reinforcement
• Acoustic properties
• Light weight concrete
• High flexural strength
To what extent can it meet the projects aims?
To create an architectural façade system that will be made from a low carbon based concrete and use a waste stream that can act as a carbon sink to be used as a habitat for the growth of plants/ microbe / microorganisms.
• Permeability
• Large surface area for carbonation
• Growth on Façade
• All of this will need to be tested
Post a Comment