Moisture-absorbing plaster inclusion
Porous Glass is a flake-based glass material for incorporation in plaster. Made of Vycor glass, which is 95 percent silica, porous glass dramatically enhances plaster’s ability to absorb, store, and release moisture. This capacity is increasingly valuable in the context of tighter building insulation standards and construction methods that can lead to increased levels of humidity in interior spaces. Persistent moisture in buildings is the leading cause of mold and mildew, which can result in sick building syndrome for building occupants. Porous Glass outperforms conventional humidity-regulating products, such as fiberboard or zeolite, as the inorganic material can absorb and release more moisture over both diurnal and seasonal cycles. The plaster additive is also nontoxic, noncombustible, and inexpensive.
Contact: Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Würzburg, Germany.
For more information, see Transmaterial Next: A Catalog of Materials that Redefine Our Future
