Journal
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
Volume 13, Issue 29, Pages 34899-34909Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c07954
Keywords
cellulose; nanofibers; brown seaweed; alginate; aerogels; insulation materials
Funding
- European Regional Development Fund under the Interreg Nord within the Sea-Surf-Snow project [20201287]
- Swedish strategic research program Bio4Energy, KAW [2018.0451]
- Swiss National Science Foundation [200021_179000]
- European Research Council (ERC) under Horizon 2020 (H2020/2018-2022/ERC grant) [772110]
- Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) [200021_179000] Funding Source: Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)
Ask authors/readers for more resources
A multifunctional and non-toxic insulation material inspired by seaweed composition was developed, incorporating cellulose and alginate for improved performance. Ice-templating and crosslinking methods were employed to enhance thermal insulation properties and flame-retardant behavior. Seaweed-derived aerogels exhibit promising mechanical properties and could serve as a template for sustainable high-performance insulation materials in the future.
The next generation of green insulation materials is being developed to provide safer and more sustainable alternatives to conventional materials. Bio-based cellulose nanofiber (CNF) aerogels offer excellent thermal insulation properties; however, their high flammability restricts their application. In this study, the design concept for the development of a multifunctional and non-toxic insulation material is inspired by the natural composition of seaweed, comprising both alginate and cellulose. The approach includes three steps: first, CNFs were separated from alginate-rich seaweed to obtain a resource-efficient, fully bio-based, and inherently flame-retardant material; second, ice-templating, followed by freeze-drying, was employed to form an anisotropic aerogel for effective insulation; and finally, a simple crosslinking approach was applied to improve the flame-retardant behavior and stability. At a density of 0.015 g cm(-3), the lightweight anisotropic aerogels displayed favorable mechanical properties, including a compressive modulus of 370 kPa, high thermal stability, low thermal conductivity (31.5 mW m(-1 )K(-1))(,) considerable flame retardancy (0.053 mm s(-1)), and self-extinguishing behavior, where the inherent characteristics were considerably improved by crosslinking. Different concentrations of the crosslinker altered the mechanical properties, while the anisotropic structure influenced the mechanical properties, combustion velocity, and to some extent thermal conductivity. Seaweed-derived aerogels possess intrinsic characteristics that could serve as a template for the future development of sustainable high-performance insulation materials.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available