The Department of geoscience at the college of Science discussed a master thesis entitled (the possibility of manufacturing thermal and insulating materials from by-products and waste of some local facilities). Researcher Zeinab hashoush Nasser

The study dealt with the manufacture of thermal and insulating materials from various clays in southern Iraq, including modern sedimentary clays, offshore drilling, water filtration plants, and wastewater treatment, while studying the effect of additives and burn temperatures on physical, mechanical, chemical, and mineral properties. The models were prepared by semi-dry pressing and burned at 950 and 1050°M.

The results showed that the glass and paper additives achieved the best thermal insulation properties, especially with the offshore drilling mud, the large Basra water project and the Wafa al-Abbas plant, while gypsum contributed to improving the insulating properties of some types of mud. The burning degree of 950°m was the best for achieving a balance between porosity, density and compression resistance, while burning at 1050°m led to increased flocculation and improved mechanical resistance with a relative decrease in insulation efficiency.

The study recommended the use of paper by 2-5% to increase porosity and reduce weight, and glass by 5-15% to improve mechanical properties and reduce water absorption, with the adoption of 950° C as the optimum temperature for the production of thermal insulation bricks.