Liu Wei, Xu Jun, Sun Qianqian, Li Ao, Wang Bing, Zhang Wei, Zhang Fengshan
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Papermaking and Paper-based Materials, Plant Fibre Material Science Research Center, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, Guangzhou 510006, China.
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Papermaking and Paper-based Materials, Plant Fibre Material Science Research Center, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Jul;318(Pt 2):144842. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.144842. Epub 2025 Jun 6.
The construction sector significantly contributes to global energy use, particularly through heating/cooling systems. Amid growing energy and environmental concerns, developing efficient insulation materials has become crucial. While petroleum-based foams currently dominate insulation markets, biomass-derived aerogels show promise as sustainable alternatives due to their lightweight nature and eco-friendly properties. However, their practical application is limited by the low compressive strength, flammability, and poor performance in humid environments. This study proposes a novel biomass aerogel that addresses challenges through multi-scale structural design. Using natural kapok fibers (KF) as the heat-insulating skeleton and sodium alginate-phytic acid (SA-PA) supramolecular network as the reinforcing matrix, combined with chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to construct a siloxane nano-hydrophobic and flame-retardant layer, a fully biomass-based aerogel was successfully prepared. The synergistic effect of the crosslinked network of biomolecules and the siloxane barrier gives the aerogel an excellent compression modulus (8.1 ± 1.3 MPa) at ultra-low densities (0.047-0.066 g/cm), as well as excellent thermal insulating capacity, water resistance (145.7 ± 1.1°) and self-extinguishing properties (limiting oxygen index 34.6 %). This work demonstrates a green strategy leveraging biomacromolecular interactions for developing multifunctional insulation materials, providing new opportunities for sustainable construction and beyond.
建筑行业对全球能源使用有重大贡献，特别是通过供暖/制冷系统。在能源和环境问题日益突出的情况下，开发高效的隔热材料变得至关重要。虽然目前石油基泡沫材料在隔热市场占据主导地位，但生物质衍生的气凝胶因其轻质特性和环保性能，有望成为可持续的替代品。然而，它们的实际应用受到低抗压强度、易燃性以及在潮湿环境中性能不佳的限制。本研究提出了一种新型生物质气凝胶，通过多尺度结构设计应对这些挑战。以天然木棉纤维（KF）作为隔热骨架，海藻酸钠 - 植酸（SA - PA）超分子网络作为增强基体，并结合化学气相沉积（CVD）构建硅氧烷纳米疏水和阻燃层，成功制备了一种完全基于生物质的气凝胶。生物分子交联网络与硅氧烷阻隔层的协同效应赋予气凝胶在超低密度（0.047 - 0.066 g/cm）下出色的压缩模量（8.1 ± 1.3 MPa），以及出色的隔热能力、耐水性（145.7 ± 1.1°）和自熄性能（极限氧指数34.6%）。这项工作展示了一种利用生物大分子相互作用开发多功能隔热材料的绿色策略，为可持续建筑及其他领域提供了新机遇。
