UNAM researchers develop drywall from sargassum

Sargassum, the brownish seaweed notorious for its antagonistic effects connected ecosystems, tourism and nationalist health, mightiness person a redemptive usage arsenic a communal operation material, according to a groundbreaking study by National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) researchers.

Dubbed the “sargapanel,” the worldly was developed by a radical of researchers led by idiosyncratic Miriam Estévez González from UNAM’s Center for Applied Physics and Advanced Technology successful Juriquilla, Querétaro. Estévez explained that the worldly resembles drywall, the lone quality being that its halfway and coating are made retired of seaweed. 

Each “sargapanel” uses 5 kilograms of adust algae, equivalent to 50 oregon 60 kilograms of bedewed integrated material. (Gaceta UNAM)

“Each portion is manufactured with 5 kilograms of adust algae, equivalent to 50 oregon 60 kilograms of bedewed integrated material,” Estévez said, adding that the caller worldly supports the circular system by utilizing non-toxic and recyclable resources.  

Furthermore, it addresses an biology contented by preventing the decomposition of sargassum connected beaches. In 2023, Mexico’s navy retrieved astir 22,000 tonnes (22 cardinal kilograms) of sargassum from the beaches of the Mexican Caribbean.

How is sargapanel made? 

To marque sargapanel, the algae is archetypal collected astatine oversea aft which it is taxable to a star drying treatment. Once dry, it is packed and sent to Estévez’s squad successful Querétaro wherever they region impurities from the earthy worldly including salts, soil and plastics. 

Once the algae is clean, it is ground, crushed and sifted to get a pulverization that, erstwhile combined with integrated fibers and different components, forms the pulp utilized to manufacture the sargapanel cover. Containing up to 70% algae, this flexible screen is past placed connected some sides of a coagulated halfway made from sargassum and plaster. 

How is sargapanel used?

Scientists accidental these panels tin beryllium utilized similar immoderate accepted gathering sheet for walls and ceilings, arsenic they besides let for electrical and hydraulic installations.  

One sargassum sheet tin enactment loads of up to 10 kilograms without anchors. According to UNAM, sargapanel has been successfully installed successful a location successful Querétaro, proving its ratio arsenic a operation material. 

“We privation companies to cognize astir our merchandise truthful that it doesn’t conscionable stay connected paper,” squad subordinate Rodrigo Alonso Esparza Muñoz told Gaceta UNAM. “We already [have] a competitory [product], but erstwhile the sheet is connected the market, it volition beryllium a precise bully option,” helium said.  

When does sargassum play statesman successful the Mexican Caribbean? 

In the Riviera Maya, sargassum play usually lasts from May to November, though it tin alteration depending connected the climatic and oceanographic conditions of each year. In 2024, the play officially ended connected Nov. 14.

Mexico News Daily