https://hdl.handle.net/10259/10448 2026-08-23T15:23:58Z 2026-08-23T15:23:58Z Zahrani, Fouad Ouakarrouch, Mohamed Nouhi, Abderrahman Lifi, Houda Lifi, Mohamed Laaroussi, Najma https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11938 2026-07-23T00:05:20Z 2026-06-01T00:00:00Z

Sustainable cement mortar-esparto composites: Experimental thermal and mechanical characterization, building energy simulation, and life cycle assessment Zahrani, Fouad; Ouakarrouch, Mohamed; Nouhi, Abderrahman; Lifi, Houda; Lifi, Mohamed; Laaroussi, Najma The building sector faces increasing pressure to reduce both operational energy consumption and embodied carbon emissions while maintaining adequate thermal and mechanical performance of construction materials. In this context, the present study investigates the potential of cement mortar reinforced with esparto fibers as a sustainable building-envelope material capable of improving energy efficiency while valorizing locally available natural resources. An integrated methodology combining microstructural analysis, thermophysical characterization, compressive strength testing, life cycle assessment (LCA), and dynamic building energy simulation was adopted. Microstructural observations revealed the porous and lignocellulosic nature of esparto fibers, promoting the formation of air-filled voids within the cement matrix. The incorporation of 4 wt% esparto fibers reduced bulk density by 15% (from 1768 to 1503 kg/m3) and significantly improved the thermal performance of the mortar. Thermal conductivity decreased from 0.553 to 0.310 W/(m·K) (41.7%), while thermal diffusivity and thermal effusivity were reduced by 33.1% and 28.8%, respectively. In contrast, the effective heat capacity increased, enhancing the thermal inertia of the composite. Although the compressive strength decreased from 38.58 MPa for the reference mortar to 14.90 MPa for the CM + 4% EF composite, the obtained values remain suitable for several non-structural building-envelope applications. The environmental assessment indicated a reduction of approximately 127 kg CO2 per cubic meter compared with conventional mortar. Dynamic simulations performed using DesignBuilder/EnergyPlus under two contrasting Moroccan climates (Marrakech and Ifrane) showed that the optimized wall configuration incorporating the CM + 4% EF composite significantly reduced annual heating and cooling energy demands. Cooling demand in Marrakech decreased from 6953 to 4758 kWh/year, while heating demand in Ifrane was reduced from 7555 to 5090 kWh/year. Overall, the results demonstrate that esparto fiber-reinforced cement mortars can simultaneously improve thermal insulation performance, reduce environmental impact, and contribute to building energy savings. The study highlights the potential of natural fiber-based composites as sustainable and climate-responsive solutions for future low-carbon building envelopes.

2026-06-01T00:00:00Z Samadi, Khaoula Yatim, Fatima Ezzahra Lifi, Mohamed Lifi, Houda Alaoui, Fatima E. M. Aguilar Romero, Fernando https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11935 2026-07-22T00:05:25Z 2026-05-01T00:00:00Z

Quantitative Modeling and Analysis of Excess Molar Enthalpy in 2-Phenoxyethanol–Alcohol Systems Samadi, Khaoula; Yatim, Fatima Ezzahra; Lifi, Mohamed; Lifi, Houda; Alaoui, Fatima E. M.; Aguilar Romero, Fernando As the gasoline industry seeks cleaner-burning and more efficient fuel formulations, glycol ethers and alcohols, due to their oxygenated functional groups, are gaining interest as additives. One promising candidate is 2-phenoxyethanol (2-PhE), a glycol ether known for its thermal stability and low volatility. In this work, we studied how 2-PhE mixes with various alcohols, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-propanol, 2-butanol, methanol, and ethanol, by measuring the excess molar enthalpy (HmE) at a pair of 298.15 and 313.15 K and at 0.1 MPa. All binary mixtures analyzed showed mixing was endothermic, indicating weaker interactions between the different molecules. To evaluate the predictability of thermodynamic models for these types of mixtures, the Redlich–Kister equation was found to be the best for correlating the HmE. The NRTL and UNIQUAC provided reasonable agreement by incorporating molecular size and local interactions. The modified UNIFAC (Dortmund) model, based on group contributions, was less accurate, especially for mixtures where hydrogen-bonding and molecular structure play a big role. These findings highlight the challenges in modeling complex alcohol ether blends and underscore the need for better predictive tools in the development of next-generation gasoline additives.

2026-05-01T00:00:00Z Samadi, Khaoula Lifi, Mohamed Lifi, Houda Ouakarrouch, Mohamed Aguilar Romero, Fernando Alaoui, Fatima E. M. https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11929 2026-07-21T09:44:36Z 2026-05-01T00:00:00Z

Experimental and Modeling Study of Thermophysical and Excess Properties of 1-Heptanol + Glycol Ether Systems Samadi, Khaoula; Lifi, Mohamed; Lifi, Houda; Ouakarrouch, Mohamed; Aguilar Romero, Fernando; Alaoui, Fatima E. M. Reducing emissions is a key goal in developing sustainable fuels. Higher alcohols like 1-heptanol play an important key due to their excellent fuel properties, such as high energy content and good combustion behavior, making them promising candidates as renewable fuel additives. This study focuses on the investigation of heat- related behavior of five binary systems composed of glycol ethers with 1-heptanol: diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monophenyl ether, and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether. Experimental data were carried out for key thermal and physical properties, including excess molar enthalpy (HE m), density (ρ), speed of sound (u), and refractive index (nD), across the temperature range 293.15–323.15 K at 0.1 MPa. From these primary data, secondary thermophysical properties, namely excess molar volume (VE), isentropic compressibility (ks), and refractive index deviation (ΔnD), were derived to better characterize non-ideal mixing behavior. Peng–Robinson and PC-SAFT EOS were using to modeled the density data, while empirical polynomial expressions were applied to fit composition-dependent trends in ρ, u, nD, and ks as dependent on fraction. VE and ΔnD were fitted using the Redlich-Kister equation. The HE m was analyzed using both empirical method and heat-related models, including UNIQUAC, NRTL, and the predictive DM-UNIFAC model. All systems exhibited positive HE m values, indicating endothermic mixing processes. These findings offer valuable insight into the interaction mechanisms between 1-heptanol and glycol ethers, supporting their evaluation for use in environmentally friendly fuel formulations.

2026-05-01T00:00:00Z Rouibaa, Hajar Lifi, Mohamed Rubio Pérez, Gabriel Aguilar Romero, Fernando Dakkach, Mohamed Atlamsani, Ahmed https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11927 2026-07-21T00:05:26Z 2026-05-01T00:00:00Z

Thermophysical and chemical characterization of Mentha Pulegium essential oil-ethanol mixtures Rouibaa, Hajar; Lifi, Mohamed; Rubio Pérez, Gabriel; Aguilar Romero, Fernando; Dakkach, Mohamed; Atlamsani, Ahmed Essential oils isolated from biomass are valuable natural resources with diverse applications. Mentha Pulegium Linnaeus essential oil is particularly attractive due to its high pulegone content. Ethanol, a bio-based oxygenated additive, enhances combustion efficiency and engine performance while reducing emissions. Studying the thermophysical properties of their binary mixtures is pivotal for sustainable technologies. In the present work, we investigate the chemical profile and thermophysical characteristics of M. Pulegium essential oil mixed with ethanol. The chemical composition was identified using GC-MS with a DB-5MS column. New experimental data for density (ρ), dynamic and kinematic viscosities (ɳ, µ), and refractive index (nD) were obtained at 293.15 - 303.15 K and 0.1 MPa. Specific heat capacity (Cp) was measured between 253.15 K to 298.15 K. Excess volume (VE), deviations in dynamic viscosity (Δɳ), and refractive index deviations (ΔnD) were correlated using the Redlich-Kister equation to interpret intermolecular forces.

2026-05-01T00:00:00Z