Support from the Henry Royce Institute and the University of Sheffield has enabled the development of a new high-performing and environmentally-friendly construction material.
Acoustic insulation is vital in the construction and refurbishment of both residential and commercial buildings, but most acoustic insulation is made of energy‑intensive mineral wool and/or high‑carbon petrochemical foams. The construction industry urgently needs alternatives which generate fewer carbon emissions and are kinder to the environment.
That’s where LAMBDA comes in. Developed by Wull Technologies, LAMBDA is a fully recyclable, rigid acoustic insulation panel manufactured from natural and recycled British sheep wool.
Slow and costly physical testing for innovative new materials such as LAMBDA is a significant barrier to commercialisation. But support from the Henry Royce Institute through our Industrial Collaboration Programme enabled Wull Technologies to partner with the University of Sheffield to accelerate the development and testing of LAMBDA, cutting development costs and time by up to 70%.
The highly collaborative project saw Professor Kirill Horoshenkov, Professor of Acoustics and Dr James Maguire, Lecturer in Composites from the University of Sheffield, work closely with Dr Xiaomeng Zhang, R&D Lead for Wull Technologies, on a three-phase project testing materials characterisation, simulation and prediction and process optimisation.
The team first used Royce’s materials testing facilities at the University of Sheffield to map the internal architecture of the LAMBDA panels and to test their response to moisture. This testing confirmed that Wull Technologies’ proprietary manufacturing process successfully compacts wool fibres while retaining a highly effective acoustic porous network, with the hollow fibres providing dual acoustic and thermal insulation, as well as efficient moisture regulation.
Using data captured in the testing, the team then developed a predictive digital tool, allowing the company to virtually predict and optimise product performance for different wall build-ups, eliminating the need for costly trial and error.
Having gained material performance insight, Wull Technologies were able to progress with confidence to manufacturing process optimisation and pilot-stage scale-up. Using facilities at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, full-size batches of LAMDA were fabricated and tested for comparison of their respective microstructures, porosities, and acoustic behaviours, resulting in the validation of this new technology.
This project enabled the progression of LAMBDA from a laboratory concept to a commercially viable, competitive product, capable of meeting the urgent demands of construction for high-performing and sustainable materials.
