PEANUT HULL PANELS

CONTENT
Sustainable development ......................................................................................................................... 1
Peanut husk 2
An agro-industrial waste................................................................................................................. 2
Most well-known applications of peanut shells............................................................... 3
Chemical characterization of peanut shells ...................................................................... 4
Peanut husk as a construction material.................................................................... 5
Impact levels from the use of peanut shells as a building material
sustainable
Environmental impact.......................................................................................................................... 6
Economic impact ....................................................................................................................... 6
Social impact
Panels made from peanut shells ............................................................................................... 6
Technical aspects............................................................................................................................ 7
Benefits of using peanut shell panels.......................................................... 7
Comparison with other panels .................................................................................................. 8
Production process..................................................................................................................... 8
Materials used......................................................................................................................... 8
Procedure .................................................................................................................................. 8
Uses in interior design............................................................................................................................ 10
Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 11
Publications.................................................................................................................. 11
WEBSITES ......................................................................................................................................... 12
Videos .............................................................................................................................................. 12
 The
CASCARA
FROM PEANUT

MATERIALS OF The abundant

availability of

CONSTRUCTION waste of the

Sustainable
local agribusiness

in the plants

PEANUT HULL PANELS processors and

selectors of
Sustainable Development
peanut, yes
From the environmental summit in Rio de Janeiro
since 1992, sustainable development has been a paradigm of promoted in the
development. Since then, the focus of care, management and
conservation of natural, economic, and social resources Center
presents a viable alternative to tackle the problems
Experimental of
serious and growing issues in Latin America, such as the
inadequate management and conservation of natural resources, Housing
of health and housing, particularly of the inhabitants
informal settlements in large cities, to name a few. Economic (CEVE)

In relation to technology development, the concept of the development of a

sustainability implies conceiving technological development more
new material
beyond the technical aspects, to consider priorities the
environmental preservation, economic efficiency and for the
socio-cultural consideration about the environment where the
technology will be implemented. construction, to

One of the most important reasons for innovation from here

sustainable technology is justified in the replacement of
use of
non-renewable raw materials for others that are more abundant that
they do not have an adequate final disposal. peanut shell

The consideration of ecologically efficient technologies linked with resins

promotes the transition from production/consumption systems
linear to circular. polyester with the

object of obtaining

un material liviano,
PEANUT SHELL

An agro-industrial waste
Peanut, also called groundnut in tropical countries, peanuts or groundnuts in
Peanut in Portuguese is scientifically referred to as Arachis.
hypogaea

Globally, due to climate conditions, the USA is one of the largest producers of
peanut and also one of the countries that records the highest consumption of peanuts and their derivatives:
oil, lard, nougats. Countries like India and the USA contribute the largest volume of peanuts to
global market. Europe is not a producer of peanuts, but it is a large consumer.

In Latin America, Argentina and Uruguay are the main producers. Argentina is one
of the leading producers in the world for the quality of peanuts it produces. The province
Córdoba contributes 90% of the national peanut production. It is this, along with soybeans,
one of the main areas of agricultural economic activity in the province. Furthermore, it is
one of the industries in the province with the greatest export capacity. In a sector of the
the province of Córdoba concentrates approximately 10 sorting plants and
peanut processors, which absorb the provincial production. There, it is selected and processed.
and sells whole natural peanuts, roasted, or mostly roasted shelled. It also
they produce peanut derivative products such as oil, butter, or peanuts
candied.

According to Adriana Urquía, president of the Argentine Peanut Chamber:

After India and the United States, Argentina is the third largest exporter of peanuts in the world and the
The excellence of its manufacturing is what has given international prestige to our
industry. Argentine confectionery peanuts and their derivatives are valued and in demand in the
most demanding markets in the world" Published in the newspaper La Voz del Interior, June 23
2002. Córdoba. Argentina.

In the 2003/2004 campaign, the planted area was 172 thousand hectares, with yields
average of 25 quintals of peanuts in box per hectare. The result is a production
close to 300 thousand tons of shelled peanuts. Published in La Voz del Interior, 20
August 2004. Córdoba. Argentina

...the Argentine peanut industry was exporting around 200/220 thousand tons
from peanuts per year and generating an income for the economy of Córdoba and the country of
"currencies on the order of 250 million dollars" (Argentine Chamber of Peanuts, 2002)

In the Northern Hemisphere, the harvest period extends between September and October, and
correspond to the Southern Hemisphere from April to June. The collection is carried out with the
This stuff, and it is separated in the selecting plants: there important ones are concentrated.
tons of peel related to seasonal production. So that the
peanut shell production in Argentina is: abundant, concentrated in a few
sources - the selecting and peeling plants - over a period of time
reduced and in a limited geographical area of the province of Córdoba. In the harvest
previously, 390 thousand tons of packaged peanuts were produced, estimated at 120 thousand
tons of waste produced. The data shows that the production of shell
Peanut accounts for approximately 30% of the total harvest. However,
because these agromaterials are not compact structures, their contribution in
volume is much greater than the weight within the set. Similar volume of
elimination has a high impact: combustion and aggression to the soil that also implies,
incidence in transportation costs, collection, and specific incineration costs. Until recently
for a short time, the shell waste was burned in the open air, a circumstance that
it provokes ecological alterations in the peanut-growing area, due to the production of toxic gases
during the removal procedure; in addition to the need to have large
exclusive field surfaces for burning. We then found a double
environmental issue that depends on the natural condition of the waste
peel and its abundance, and of the industry's intervention that increases the already
vulnerable situation of collecting large volumes of peels, with a procedure
the burning - which increases damage to the environment.

It is a good opportunity to give sustainable purpose to a resource considered waste.

that is transformed into raw material, for its application in construction materials
of housing. The characteristics of the new material are defined by low weight, and good
thermal insulation capacity, and, consequently, suitability for use in panels
of enclosures and housing conditioning.

Most recognized applications of peanut shells

The main use of the shell, in the USA and also in Argentina, is as fuel for
boilers. Special burners must be used to reduce the amount of smoke
and fly ash generated by combustion. However, in such quantities, the
The application of the waste from the peeling process only has partial application. There is a
limited market for peanut husks. It is used as animal feed
particularly porcine, indigestible and with no protein value; as bedding for poultry;
as a medium for mushroom cultivation, vehicle for pesticides and fertilizers; and some uses
similar to wood shavings, such as plant protection. Background in the
the construction sector is also limited. Ching-Ming Chen patented a
procedure that uses peanut shells for the extraction of a chemical substance
which can be used as a partial substitute for phenolic resins, which is
widely used as a molding adhesive. At the Center of Excellence in
Córdoba Products and Processes (CEPROCOR) developed a foundational project.
technological for the conversion of peanut waste into activated carbon, a product
of high added value for the food, wine, and pharmaceutical industries. Also
there, they are in the experimental phase of developing a byproduct for the
production of biodegradable paper. At the National University of Río Cuarto (Medina,
1998), mixed particle boards were developed with peanut shell and chips.
wood. The adhesive used was phenolic type. The mechanical results determined
an optimal amount of peanut shell of 30% of the total particles. It is
also known as the use of peanut shells in ashes, with application for
additive pozzolanic cements, although data of this type have not been obtained
applications in Argentina.

Chemical characterization of peanut shell

It is worth noting the presence of mulch or topsoil and insects in the extraction of peanuts.
so that in the separation of the shell remnants remain, which are not
exclusively from Manises. The shells are hardly degradable in their exposure to
exterior, due to the high lignin content; low nitrogen content, and presence in
large volumes. These conditions offer few possibilities to act as
fertilizers or soil enhancers (J. G. Woodroof, 1983).

According to Woodroof (1983), the peanut 'shell' box is composed of approximately

by

Component %
Humidity 8 - 10
Crude protein 6-7
Fat 1-2
Crude fiber 60 - 67
Cellulose 35 - 45
Lignin 27 - 33
Ashes 2-4

TABLE 1. CHEMICAL COMPOUND ACCORDING TO WOODROOF

Meanwhile, according to Yeboah et al (2003), the typical chemical composition is:

Component %
Lignin 34.8
Glucan 21.1
Extractives 14.2
Protein 11.1
Xylano 7.9
Ashes 3.4
Arabinose 0.7
Galactan 0.2
Mannans 0.1
Others (e.g. Free carbohydrates) 6.5

TABLE 2. CHEMICAL COMPOUND ACCORDING TO YEBOAH ET AL

A superficial evaluation of both results shows dispersion in the different analyses.

compositional shown. The qualitative and quantitative non-coincidence of the analyses does not
... the chemical composition varies with the variety and conditions of
peeling". (J. G. Woodroof, 1983). Furthermore, the region and the climate influence
decisive manner. It is known that there are varieties of peanuts, which influences the
diversity and quantity (percentage quantities) of some chemical components
from the shell (Guzmán, 2005). While the main component is basically cellulose,
There are compositional and percentage divergences due to the aforementioned reasons. The
high lignin content was decisive in experiences conducted in production
from peanut shell materials with cement (Gatani et al, 2005). The incompatibility
between the organic aggregates and the cement binder showed delays in the times
of wear and loss in the final resistance values of the samples. Consequently, the
shells should have been additive with "mineralizers" to promote the reaction in the
by aggregates shells - cement binder.

FIGURE 1. APPEARANCE OF BULK PEANUT SHELLS

FIGURE 2. APPEARANCE OF THE EXTERNAL SURFACE (20 X).

Peanut shell as a building material

The peanut is a legume that grows underground, therefore its shell is prepared.
to resist degradation, the American archaeologist Tom Dillehay discovered the
remains of peanuts from 7840 years ago in Paiján and in the Ñanchoc valley, Peru. In the case of the
peanut shell, the issue of environmental sustainability raises the need to provide
destination for an overabundant natural resource, whose use to date increases the
negative consequences for the natural environment. Until recently, the waste
the peel was burned in the open air, a circumstance that causes alterations
ecological issues in the peanut-growing area, due to the production of toxic gases during the
removal procedure. Currently, its most widespread use is as
biofuel; or as an ingredient in pig feed. The peanut shell is
considered waste that is transformed into raw material, for its application in
construction materials. The peanut shell used as aggregate gives it
material properties such as porosity and sufficient rigidity due to its fibrous character
its particles. Consequently, the new material is characterized by low weight,
good thermal insulation and acoustic absorption capacity, and as a result, suitability
to be used in compact panels, aiming to complement or alternative to the
wood-derived panels (particleboard, MDF, among others), for their application in
interior equipment.

Impact levels from the use of peanut shell as material for

sustainable construction

Environmental impact
Minimize the abundance of the waste produced by peanut processing, which
they constitute a problem for the peanut processing companies in Manises. Despite the fact that
many companies in the sector process this waste, there are still large volumes that
They are burned in the open air, representing a serious pollution problem.
environmental. This large remnant of shells that is burned can be used for the
manufacturing of products such as panels for use in architecture and design.

Economic impact
To give value to a waste that until now had no market insertion with a value
added to the scale of its production.

Social impact
Generate new regional employment opportunities in terms of processing plates of
peanut shells, furniture, everyday objects or applications in architecture.

PANEL BASED ON PEANUT SHELL

FIGURE 3. CEILING PLATE FIGURE 4. COATING PANELS

Technical aspects
Composition: Peanut shells + polyester resin.
Format: Pre-molded slab, compact panels.
160 x 43 x 3 [cm] (depends on the mold)
228 [kg/m3]
•Thermal conductivity coefficient (λ): 0.12 [W/Mk]
Mechanical resistance: 1.5 [kg/cm]2]
Certification system: Pending.

The thermal conductivity coefficient determination tests were carried out.

according to IRAM standards at the National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI), Buenos Aires,
Argentina.

Benefits of using peanut shell panels

Peanut shell and polyester resin sheets are a good alternative for panels.
from ceiling due to its low specific weight and low conductivity coefficient
thermal, which makes it especially suitable for use as thermal insulation for roofs of
high radiation, such as that from galvanized sheets, so common in our environment.
Additional conditions such as good appearance, and easy manufacturing process
are considered extra reasons for their selection. They have similar mechanical resistance to
other panels for ceilings, or in some cases like wood ceilings, are
they behave with greater flexural resistance. Other advantages,

Decrease in environmental pollution.

Greater durability.
It is more economical.
It is more innovative.
It is lighter, its strength is greater than the commonly used panels.
Thermal conductivity coefficient higher than that of other plates.
Excellent rigidity conditions for being worked with cutting machines.
typically used in the wood industry.

FIGURE 5. CUT WITH CIRCULAR SAW FIGURE 6. CUTTING WITH CIRCULAR SAW
Comparison with other panels
Peanut shell and resin panels were tested regarding their conditions of
use. Comparing the results obtained with similar application materials in
The properties of the ceiling were confirmed. Regarding the use of wooden ceilings and
the comparative values are described for expanded polystyrene ceilings
continuation.

Material Thermal coefficient (λ)

Chipboard wood fiber boards 0.15
Phenolic wood boards 0.24
Expanded polystyrene panels 0.036
Peanut shell panels + polyester resin 0.11

TABLE 2. THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COEFFICIENT OF CEILINGS

Material Thermal coefficient (λ)

Wood particle board sheets 0.15
Phenolic wood boards 0.24
Expanded polystyrene panels 0.036
Peanut shell panels + polyester resin 0.11

TABLE 3. SPECIFIC WEIGHT OF CEILINGS

PROCESS OF ELABORATION

Materials used
Peanut shells in their natural state, uncrushed, just as they come from the plants.
processed in the form of residue, and without any type of shredding. The shell of
Peanut is very light. Its density is approximately 100 kg/m3. The dimension of the 'box of
“peanut” depends on the variety. The so-called “runner” is used, which is the one that contains
from two to three grains each. Their size does not exceed 2.5 cm in length x 1.5 cm in
width and 1 cm thick.

The binder used is a compound of polyal 340 resin, styrene monomer, perly-ox-
101 (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide), and accelerator OC at 2.5% (cobalt octoate).

It is important to note that the resin is obtained from the chemical recycling of PET as input.
main for its manufacture.

Procedure
Steps for obtaining the panels. Figures 7-11

1. Shaken:
 The peanut shell is shaken in order to remove the
finer particles, in order to eliminate the dusty material. It is used a
3.5mm mesh sieve.

FIGURE 7. SARANDA

Weigh and place in the mixer.

FIGURE 8. MIXER

2. Impregnation:
The resin is prepared with its components. (resin; styrene; peroxide; accelerator)

FIGURE 9. RESIN PREPARATION

The shells are sprayed, with a torch, inside the mixer. This step takes
around 30 minutes.
 FIGURE 7. TORCH SPRAYING

3. Molding press
The impregnated mixture is poured into a mold of 165 cm x 42.5 cm x 5 cm, and it is
press for two hours.

FIGURE 7. PRESSING

Once the mold is removed, it is left to cure for 24 hours.

USES IN INTERIOR DESIGN

Application in interior equipment.
Alternative to MDF or particle board.
Decorative coatings.
Thermal coatings. Higher density panels or sandwich panels.
Ceiling tiles.
Thermal insulators.

FIGURE 12. DOOR PANEL APPLICATION FIGURE 13. INTERIOR HOUSING

 FIGURE 14. CEILING APPLICATION FIGURE 15. INNER COATING

FIGURE 16. FINISHED CEILING FIGURE 17. PLATE PLACEMENT

FIGURE 18. PROTOTYPE DESK FIGURE 19. FINISHED CEILING

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Publications
Peanut Shell in the Production of Aggregates
Alejandro Ambrogi.
Digital magazine 'Quebracho', No. 2 pp. 47 - 53.
Determination of the influence of size and shape of shell particles
"peanut in particle boards" Authors: Granero, V.; M. Gatani; J. C. Medina; A.
Ruiz; J. Fiorelli; J. Kreiker and M. J. Lerda.
Digital magazine 'Quebracho', No. 21 pp. 67 - 80.
Composite materials of peanut shells and cement. Influence of different
chemical treatments on mechanical properties" Authors: M. Gatani, R.
Argüello, S. Sesín.
Digital magazine "Construction Materials", No. 60, 298, 137-147.
Thermal-energy performance of a demonstrative housing prototype
social interest in Córdoba, Argentina” Authors: A. Di Bernardo, C. Filippín, D. Pipa.
Digital magazine 'Advances in Renewable Energies and Environment', No. 15.
 Sustainable building materials with peanut shells Author: CEVE.
CEVE website brochure.

WEB sites
CEVE - Experimental Center for Economic Housing -
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Digital newspaper La Voz.com.ar. Architecture Supplement. Material of the future. Year 2008
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SustntAR Technology and Environment
http://www.sustentartv.com.ar/2012/08/mani-para-tu-techo-otra-buena-aplicacion-
from-the-waste

Videos
Recycled PET Bricks and Peanut Shell Roofs, CEVE. In Works, year 2010
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"Natural Resource". Channel 7, year 2008
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Peanut shell panels. AVE CEVE, year 2013
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