Vapour diffusion calculations through graphite-enhanced polystyrene.

Buildings account for almost 40% of total energy use, in the European Union. Energy losses in this sector should be reduced. To reach this, thermal insulation of buildings is a key solution. Polystyrene insulations are ordinary, and their thermal properties are well known. However, the most promising type is the graphite enhanced one with relatively less information. These graphite doped material products have much better thermal insulation properties than the conventional (white) ones. This paper will present measurements of sorption isotherms, combined with kinetic vapour experiments performed in a climatic chamber. Based on the results, the identification of the sorption isotherm will be shown. Moreover, the other scope of the paper is to apply a theoretical model used for diffusion after immersion to calculate the vapour diffusion in the samples treated in a climatic chamber. Furthermore, grain size analysis will be executed from microscope images, too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]