Cellulose-Starch Composite Aerogels As Thermal Superinsulating Materials

Overview

Journal ACS Omega

Publisher American Chemical Society

Specialty Chemistry

Date 2024 Dec 23

PMID 39713644

Authors

Safoura Ahmadzadeh

Angelina Sagardui

David Huitink

Jingyi Chen

Ali Ubeyitogullari

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The demand for sustainable packaging materials is rapidly increasing due to growing environmental concerns over the impact of plastic waste. In this study, biodegradable, porous, lightweight, and high-surface-area microcrystalline cellulose-starch (MCC-S) hybrid aerogels were synthesized via supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO) drying. The samples were generated using five different MCC-S weight ratios and characterized for their morphology, crystallinity, and structural and thermal properties. When MCC and S were used together, aerogels with superior properties were obtained compared to those made from each component individually. Specifically, the 1:2 MCC-S aerogel exhibited the highest porosity (97%), the lowest density (0.058 g/cm), and the lowest thermal conductivity (0.012 W/(m·K)) along with a high specific surface area (258 m/g). Therefore, MCC-S aerogels are promising insulators for advanced packaging applications, potentially serving as a sustainable alternative to Styrofoam.

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