2 research outputs found
High-Strength Nanocomposite Aerogels of Ternary Composition: Poly(vinyl alcohol), Clay, and Cellulose Nanofibrils
Clay
aerogels are foam-like materials with potential to combine
high mechanical performance with fire retardancy. However, the compression
strength of these aerogels is much lower than theoretically predicted
values. High-strength aerogels with more than 95% porosity were prepared
from a ternary material system based on polyÂ(vinyl alcohol), montmorillonite
clay platelets, and cellulose nanofibrils. A hydrocolloidal suspension
of the three components was subjected to freeze-drying so that a low-density
aerogel foam was formed. Cell structure was studied by field-emission
scanning electron microscopy. Interactions at the molecular scale
were observed by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy. Cross-linking was carried out using glutaraldehyde or
borax, and moisture stability was investigated. These biobased ternary
aerogels showed compression strength much better than that of previously
studied materials and also showed strength higher than that of high-performance
sandwich foam cores such as cross-linked polyvinyl chloride foams
Nanostructured Wood Hybrids for Fire-Retardancy Prepared by Clay Impregnation into the Cell Wall
Eco-friendly
materials need “green” fire-retardancy treatments, which
offer opportunity for new wood nanotechnologies. Balsa wood (Ochroma
pyramidale) was delignified to form a hierarchically
structured and nanoporous scaffold mainly composed of cellulose nanofibrils.
This nanocellulosic wood scaffold was impregnated with colloidal montmorillonite
clay to form a nanostructured wood hybrid with high flame-retardancy.
The nanoporous scaffold was characterized by scanning electron microscopy
and gas adsorption. Flame-retardancy was evaluated by cone calorimetry,
whereas thermal and thermo-oxidative stabilities were assessed by
thermogravimetry. The location of well-distributed clay nanoplatelets
inside the cell walls was confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis.
This unique nanostructure dramatically increased the thermal stability
because of thermal insulation, oxygen depletion, and catalytic charring
effects. A coherent organic/inorganic charred residue was formed during
combustion, leading to a strongly reduced heat release rate peak and
reduced smoke generation