Pearl millet waste reinforced biocomposite ceiling tiles: a waste management approach

More efficient and standardised building materials led to the need for gypsum. However, despite its acceptance as a construction material, it has environmental drawbacks and limitations. The aim of this work was to develop biocomposite ceiling tiles as an alternative to gypsum ceiling tiles. To do this, different proportions (35–55%) of pearl millet seed coverings (PMSC) were used as a partial replacement for gypsum. Microstructural analysis was performed, followed by tests for flexural strength and thermal and acoustic insulation evaluations. Microstructural examination of the mix made with 35% PMSC, 30% gypsum powder, 15% lime and 20% waste paper showed a compact and homogeneous structure due to the effective binding and balanced integration of the elements. This mix achieved a flexural strength of 1.23 MPa, comparable to that of commonly used gypsum ceiling tiles (1.21 MPa). The same mix was found to have sound and thermal insulation performance comparable to those of conventional gypsum ceiling tiles across various frequencies and temperature ranges. This study is original in its approach and highlights the potential of PMSC in developing biocomposites as sustainable building materials, covering applications in ceiling tiles, partitions walls and decorative finishes across diverse geographic regions.