“ITALIAN HIkOL RABBIT (ORYCTOLAGUS CUNICULUS) WOOL: COMPOSITION, PROPERTIES AND ITS POTENTIAL AS A RENEWABLE SOURCE FOR THERMAL INSULATION MATERIALS”

Аннотация

This scientific article analyzes in detail the chemical composition, physical properties and structure of wool of the Italian breed of Hikol rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The importanceof wool as a renewableand sustainableresource, as well as itspotential in thefield of production of thermal insulation materials, is studied. The results of the study showed that Hikol rabbit wool has excellent thermal insulation properties and substantiated thepossibilities of using it as an environmentally friendly and effective source of replacement for traditional materials in theconstruction industry. Keywords: Italian breed of Hikol rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, wool, composition, properties, thermal insulation, renewable resource, sustainability, building materials, environmental friendliness. Introduction. In the 21st century, the world community is setting itself such important tasks as energy efficiency, the development of environmentally friendly technologies and the rational use of natural resources. Today, many traditional materials (artificial fibers, fabrics obtained from petroleum products, etc.) that are widely used in the production of special clothing are made from non-renewable resources. Their production process has a negative impact on the environment and creates problems with waste disposal. Therefore, the issue of using environmentally friendly, renewable and sustainable raw materials in the design of special clothing is gaining urgent importance. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in recycling agricultural waste and obtaining new, useful products from them. In particular, the use of wool produced in the rabbit industry as a thermal insulation material is a promising direction. Rabbit wool is a natural, renewable and environmentally friendly material with excellent thermal insulation properties. Due to the large number of air-retaining voids in its structure, its thermal conductivityis low. Italian breed Hikol rabbits are distinguished by the high quality of their wool. The wool of this breed of rabbits has a thinner and denser structure than that of traditional breeds, which increases the effectiveness of thermal insulation materials made from it. Also, the process of raising Hikol rabbits and collecting wool isrelatively inexpensiveand environmentally friendly. The purpose of this scientific article is toanalyze the composition, properties and potential of the wool of the Italian breed of Hikol rabbit as a renewable resource for thermal insulation materials. During the study, the chemical composition, physical properties (thermal conductivity, density, moisture absorption), structure and microstructure of the wool are studied. Also, the environmental and economic advantages of thermal insulation materials obtained from Hikol rabbit wool are compared with traditional materials. Theresults of this research can contribute to theexpansion of theuseof environmentally friendly and effective thermal insulation materials in the construction industry, the recycling of agricultural waste and the development of the rabbit industry. The information presented in the https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi volume 4,issue4,2025 687 article is expected to be useful for scientists, engineers, builders and agricultural specialists. Also, based on the results of this research, it will be possible to create new types of thermal insulation materials and improvetheir production technologies inthe future. Thermal insulation fabrics are widely used in various industries, including construction, automotive, clothing, and medicine. In the production of nonwoven fabrics, a wide variety of textilefabrics based onnatural fibers [1]and syntheticfibers [2]are produced. Globally, polyesterfibers are mainly used as athermal insulationlayer in theproduction ofwarm clothing. The ability to form polyester fibers to any desired thickness allows you to obtain heat- retaining materials with a dense structure from them. In addition, due to the electrification of the fiber, the fibers move away from each other, and the resulting air layer also ensures the heat resistance of the product. However, the European Commission is implementing a number of projects to reduce the release of microplastics into wastewater and prevent microplastics from entering the human body [3]. In this regard, special attention is paid to replacing polyester fibers withbiodegradable natural fibers [4]. Today, there are a total of 18,032 livestock farms in our republic, of which 254 are organized in the rabbit breeding sector. In order to fulfill the tasks of the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers “On measures to further improve scientific activities in the field of rabbit breeding in the republic” No. 647 dated August 2, 2019, it is necessary to raise at least 280 thousand female rabbits and about 40 thousand male rabbits of breeding breed in Uzbekistan per year. Due to the low negative impact of rabbits on the environment compared to other types of l