Plant bio-inspired laminar cellulose-based foam with flame retardant, thermal insulation and excellent mechanical properties. Issue 3 (9th December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hou, Yansu; Liao, Jianming; Huang, Luyao; Guo, Shasha; Zhang, Yuxiang; Liu, Zhan; Mo, Lihuan; Zhang, Xi; Li, Jun
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 11:Issue 3(2023)
• Page Start: 1138
• Page End: 1147
• Publication Date: 2022-12-09
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/d2ta07646b
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : Plastic foam has received extensive attention as a potential thermal management material for energy-efficient buildings. Abstract : Plastic foam has received extensive attention as a potential thermal management material for energy-efficient buildings. However, manufacturing an environmental cellulose-based foam material with excellent mechanical properties, flame retardancy, and low thermal conductivity remains a great challenge. In the present work, we developed a novel and facile method to fabricate a cellulose-based foam from pulp fibers, cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs), and borates, in which borates acting as both flame retardants and crosslinkers build a strong porous and laminar structure with fibers. The resulting foam exhibits ultralow density (12.1 mg cm −3 ), high flame retardancy, outstanding thermal insulation ability (with a thermal conductivity of 48.6 mW mK −1 ), and excellent mechanical properties (with a specific modulus of 15.3 MPa cm 3 g −1 in the X direction). This work paves a new way for the synthesis of flame retardant insulation foam materials with great potential for practical applications in energy-efficient buildings.