Potential Use of Human Hair Fibers for Reinforcement and Thermal Insulation in Construction

The research explores the potential of human hair fibers (HHF) as reinforcement and thermal insulator in construction materials. The study found that adding more than 4% by weight of HHF to cement enhances the toughness and ductility of mortars. Using 8% HHF can decrease the thermal conductivity of standard mortars while preserving good compressive strength. However, the addition of HHF also increases the porosity of the mortars, which in turn increases their thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity of HHF itself is approximately 0.037 W m−1 K−1, indicating its effectiveness as a thermal insulator. The study suggests that recycling human hair waste in construction could aid in sustainable waste management and potentially improve the properties of construction materials.